A Federal High Court, Lagos, has sentenced a clearing and forwarding agent, Napoleon Osariemen, to 30 years imprisonment for unlawful importation of 2kg of cannabis sativa popularly called marijuana.
Justice Ayokunle Faji sentenced the convict after finding him guilty of the charge filed by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The judge also ordered that the company used in smuggling the banned substance be wound up and be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The third defendant in the charge, 37–year- old Olasupo Olakemi, was discharged and acquitted on the ground that NDLEA could not establish her link to the illegal importation.
The judge held that the prosecution successfully proved the two- counts charge against the convict.
Osariemen, his company, NAPOSA Cargo Logistics Investment Limited and Olakemi, were arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy to unlawfully import 2kg of cannabis sativa and unlawful importation of the banned item. They were first arraigned before the court in a charge FHC/L/475c/2016 in 2016.
NDLEA had alleged that the convicts were said to have some time on October 8, 2016, at NAHCO Import Shed of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, without lawful authority, conspired among themselves; with one Tony Adele, a.k.a Mr. James and one Gbenga, of 1161, Weston Road, Toronto, Canada, M9N, 3P8, being a Consignor of the goods, to import, dispatch and deliver the drug.
Their offences were contrary to Sections 14(b) and 11(a) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
They had all pleaded not guilty to the charges and were admitted to bail in various terms.
During the trial, the prosecutor called 10 witnesses and tendered several exhibits, which included the convict’s confessional statement, bulk of the seized drug, results of laboratory tests and others.
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