Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi Lagos on Wednesday convicted and sentenced a 31 years old man, Saka Owolabi to 5 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of 1 Kilogramme of Marijuana, otherwise known as Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug.
However, the court gave the convict an option of fine in the sum of N5 million in lieu of imprisonment.
Owolabi was convicted after he pleaded guilty to a one count charge preferred against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) prosecutor Mr Chibuzor Ohanyere
Following the defendant’s plea of guilt, the facts of the case was reviewed by the prosecution and he asked the court to convict the defendant as charged based on his guilty plea and the documentary evidence adduced by the prosection.
Justice Aneke after listening to the submission of the prosecutor, Chibuzor Ohanyere convicted the Owolabi as charged based on his plea of guilt and evidence adduced by the prosecution.
In his allocutus,counsel to the defendant Evans Ajoku pleaded for mercy on behalf of the convict.
Ajoku informed the court that the convict is a first time offender who did not waste the precious time of the court as he pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, this he said can be construed to be a sign of remorse.
He added that the convict has promised never to involve himself in any act of criminality again if given a second chance.
Justice Aneke after listening to Ajoku’s allocutus, sentence the convict to five years imprisonment from November 5, 2025 when he was arrested or an option of fine of N5 million to be paid into the consolidated revenue account of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The judge further ordered that the bulk of the drug exhibit recovered from the convict should be destroyed after 90 days from the date of sentence.
The one count charge against the convict reads: ” That you Saka Owolabi, male, adult, 31 years old Nigerian of Tako 3, Ajara Badagry, Badagry LGA, Lagos, on.or about the 5th day of November 2025 at the Nigerian Army checkpoint Gbethrome , Badagry Expressway, Badagry, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority possessed 1 kg of Marijuana, otherwise known as Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD by which act you committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N 30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 “
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