A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced 24-year-old Emmanuel Chekwube to seven years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges.
Justice Lewis Allagoa handed down the sentence on Wednesday, offering the convict an option of a ₦5 million fine.
Chekwube was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a four-count charge, including conspiracy, illegal storage of restricted drugs, unlawful use of premises for storing banned narcotics, and dealing in narcotics.
He pleaded guilty to all the charges during the hearing.
Following his plea, the Prosecutor, Ms M. I. Erondu, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered several exhibits before the court, such as: a statement of the defendant, a drug analysis form and packaging of substance form.
Also tendered were: remnant of the narcotics, request for scientific aid form and transparent pouch, among others.
The prosecutor then urged the court to convict the defendant based on his plea as well as the evidences adduced.
Consequently, the judge convicted the defendant as charged.
Before the sentence, the defence had prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy, saying that as his client was a first time offender and that he would turn a new leaf.
Delivering his verdict afterwards, Allagoa sentenced Chekwube to seven years imprisonment on each count, which, he said, would run concurrently.
He, however, gave the convict an option of five million naira fine.
In the charge, the convict was said to have committed the offences on May 7 at Amukoko, Ijora area of Lagos.
He was said to have used the premises to engage in illegal storage of 56.2 kg Tramadol Hydrochloride, 1.2 kg Nitrazepam and 72g of Swinol
All the substances are said to have been listed in the NDLEA schedule as banned narcotics, thus contravening the provisions of Sections 12 and 14(b) of NDLEA Act, 2004.
