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From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi of a Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osoun State, has sentenced a 61-year-old man, Usman Suleiman, to twelve years imprisonment for transporting cannabis sativa that weighed 28.5kilogramme.
Delivering the judgement, the Judge said the convict was not ready to change his ways having been convicted on similar offence by the same court.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), represented by its counsel, Olufemi Ijimakim, had told the court that the man was brought to their office on May 1, 2024.
The NDLEA officer who presented evidence against the convict, said the convict was brought with two sack bags inside Ghana must go bag, adding that “There was some packs of tramadol inside the bag. A small white nylon that contain white substance, suspected to be cocaine and tablet suspected to be ethanolic substance.
The officer said, “We carried out a field test on all the substances, using United Nation testing kits. The two bags contained cannabis sativa which weighed 17.5kg. The other bag weighed 11kg. The capsule was tested to be tramadol and it weighed 300gram.
“The cocaine was confirmed and it weighed 4.4grm. The tablet tested ethanol and weighed 6.2grm,” the officer said.
Ijimakin informed the court that the convict had been convicted in 2013 before the same court and was sentenced to one year jail. He told the court that there is need to let the convict send signals to other people like him who have decided to continue in the business.
In defense, Suleiman’s lawyer, Akinwumi Babatunde, urged the court for leniency, expressing hope for Suleiman’s potential for rehabilitation.
However, Justice Demi-Ajayi maintained that the convict, having shown a pattern of reoffending, should receive a meaningful sentence.
She noted that the convict had earlier pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned and he has wasted the time of the court. He does not look remorseful.
“He is old enough to know better,” the judge said, saying, “Having been convicted multiple times, he is clearly a serial offender.”
Noting that the offense carries a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 25 years, the judge sentenced Suleiman to 12-years imprisonment to serve as a deterrent to others.
Following the ruling, Suleiman’s wife and relatives expressed their distress, lamenting that the prosecutor had disappointed them after they had invested considerable resources to assist him. They were seen cursing the prosecutor for allegedly betraying their trust after accepting their money.
