From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Justice Mashkur Salisu of a Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has sentenced a middle-aged man, Aregbesola Fatai, to 18 months imprisonment for unlawful possession of 400 grammes of a narcotic drug.
The prosecutor of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Olufemi Ijimakin, told the court that the convict committed the crime on the 25th day of January 2024 at Oke Ayepe Area, Osogbo, without lawful authority.
He said the convict knowingly had in his possession 400 grams of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to Cocaine, LSD, heroin, etc, and thereby committed an offense contrary to and
punishable under Section 19 of theNational Drug Law Enforcement
Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation, of Nigeria, 2004.
The convict pleaded guilty and prayed the court to be merciful with him, promising never to return to the crime.
His counsel, Nagite Okobe, told the court that the convict is a first-time offender who has shown remorse and promised to turn a new leaf.
He urged the court to temper justice with mercy saying that the convict has no criminal record and if given a chance, he would not return to the crime.
In his judgment on Thursday, Justice Salisu said, “I have considered the plea of leniency by the convict and that made on his behalf by the learned counsel. The fact that he is a first-time offender with defendants and a family man and given the provision of Sections 416 (2) and 460 of ACJA 2015 which enjoins the court to consider prisons and to be lenient on first-time offenders.”
He thereby sentenced the convict to 18 months imprisonment and ordered the destruction of Exhibit H’ in line with Section 334 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 while Exhibit ‘G’ (money) was forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.