25-year-old Sentenced To Two And Half Years In Prison For Unlawful Dealing In Drugs

A 25-year-old man, Daniel Cletus, was yesterday
sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment
by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, after
being charged with unlawful dealing in 550
grammes of Cannabis sativa, a narcotic drug
similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD (strong
hallucinogenic drug) by the Federal Government
on behalf of the National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency, NDLEA.
The convict arrested on December 7, 2011 by
NDLEA officers for possession of dry weeds
suspected to be cannabis sativa pleaded guilty to
the charge.
Prosecution witness, Charles Ikwuemesi, an
officer of the agency, said after the convict was
arrested, he was taken to exhibit officers who
carried out a preliminary field test and the
substance found on himproved positive for
cannabis sativa.
He stated that the case was assigned to him and
he discovered the certificate of test analysis,
drug analysis report, sealed brown envelope,
bulk exhibit contained in a black polythene bag
weighing 550 grammes as well as N5000 exhibit
money recovered from the convict among others.
Led in evidence by the prosecutor, Orji Kalu, the
witness identified the exhibits and the court
admitted and marked them as exhibits.
In his judgment, the trial judge said: "I have
considered the plea of guilt of the accused
person on the offence for which he was charged.
I have also considered exhibit D which is the
statement of the accused wherein the accused
person voluntarily and freely confessed that he
was in possession of the drugs when he was
arrested. The accused person also confessed that
he has been smoking the drug exhibit that was
found on him even before he was arrested
though be explained that it was frustration and
lack of money that made him to smoke and sell
the dry exhibit.
"I hope with the sentence, the convict will turn a
new leaf, show remorse and jettison all aspects
of crime and be a useful person to himself, his
family and the society. There are other ways of
making ends meet and have means of livelihood
other than smoking and selling Indian hemps.
The convict is hereby sentenced to two years and
six months imprisonment with effect from
December 7, 2011. I so hold," the court said.
The exhibits were then ordered to be returned to
the prosecution for destruction while the money
exhibit NE forfeited to the federal government of
Nigeria.