A Federal High Court in Ibadan on Wednesday sentenced a drug trafficker, Samuel Adedotun, to six months imprisonment for dealing in 500 grammes of hemp.
In his judgement, Justice Ekerete Akpan said he convicted and sentenced Adedotun on the evidence tendered before him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and by his guilty plea.
Akpan also stated that he took cognisance of Adedotun’s plea for mercy; being a first-time offender, not wasting the court’s precious time and being his family’s breadwinner.
“I hope the convict is truly remorseful of his action because stiffer punishment shall be applied if brought back for any crime.
“However, to serve as a deterrent to other would-be criminals, the defendant is sentenced to six months in prison.
“The sentence starts from the date he was first arrested.
“The weed exhibit found in his possession shall be destroyed by the NDLEA,” the judge said.
Meanwhile, NDLEA counsel, Daniel Otunla, had earlier told the court that the convict was arrested on May 11 in the Ojoo area of Ibadan. The prosecutor said the convict faced a charge bordering on unlawful dealing in hemp.
Otunla added that NDLEA operatives acted on a tip-off from informants that Adedotun had a sack containing 500 grammes of the illicit substance before he was eventually apprehended.
According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened the provisions of Section 11 (C) of the NDLEA Act Cap. N30 law of the Federation 2004. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Act prescribes maximum life imprisonment for anyone convicted.
