A Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday convicted two Brazilians, Lima Pereira Diego and Santos Marcia Cristina, for bringing into Nigeria 23.895 kilogrammes of cocaine.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun convicted the two Brazilians after they had pleaded guilty to the charges levelled against them by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The convicts, who were earlier arraigned before the court on April 26 on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and unlawful importation of the said narcotic, declined to take their plea on the ground that they do not have confidence in the interpreter, one O. Adeniran, who was provided for them by their country’s diplomatic service.
Upon the objection raised against the interpreter and their plea-guilty to the charge, the court adjourned till yesterday for re-arraignment and plea-taken.At the hearing yesterday, the judge asked the convicts if they still want to plea guilty to the charge, they insisted that they are guilty of the charge.
Consequently, Justice Olatoregun pronounced them guilty as charged and adjourned till July 5, 2017 to pronounce sentence on the convicts.She also ordered them remanded in Kirikiri Prison pending the day.