A federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday sentenced a welder, Shola Adeitan (32), and a scavenger, Bello Adam, (37), to five and two years imprisonment respectively, for dealing in cocaine and marijuana.
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Justice Mohammed Idris convicted the two men after they pleaded guilty to the charges of dealing in the banned substances, made against them by the National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The convicts, who were arraigned before the court separately, according to the NDLEA prosecutor, Mr. Jerry Aernan, were arrested at different places, date and time in Lagos with the banned substances.
The prosecutor, Aernan informed the court that the first convict, Shola was arrested in April 18, 2016, at Aguda area of Surulere, with 8 grammes of Cocaine while the second convict, Bello, was arrested on April 13, 2016, at Eleganza Plaza, Apapa, with 700 grammes of marijuana, popularly called Indian hemps.
Aernan, informed the court that the offence allegedly committed by the two convicts are contrary to and punishable under section 11(C) of the NDLEA Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
After pronouncing the guilty as charged. The convicts, urged the court to tamper justice with in sentencing them.
The first convict, Shola, a father of one, informed the court that he started engaging in selling cocaine when the welding business noised dive, and that he was introduced into drug business by street friends.
He promised not to go back to the Illicit act if granted forgiveness and mercy.
The second convict, Bello, a scavenger, and an indigene of Kaduna State, said he started smoking hemp to quench the stench emitting from the waste. He however stated that he started selling it to make-up with what he is realising from the scavenging job.
He equally pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing him, and promised not to go back to the crime if set free.
But the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, sentenced the welder to five years imprisonment while the scavenger, was given two imprisonment.