Justice Lewis Alagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced three men for dealing in 34,400 litres of Codeine to 21 years imprisonment each.
The three Codeine merchants convicted and jailed by the court were: Cosmas Obiajulu, 51, Ridwan Balogun Alabi, 28 and 30 years old Tayo Banjo.
The three convicts, who are traders at Agric/Building Material Association Market, Odun-Ade Bridge, Amukoko, Lagos State, were given the jail-term after they pleaded guilty to the charges of conspiracy, unlawful dealing and transportation of the prohibited cough syrup, made against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Arraigning the convicts on Friday, NDLEA’s prosecutor, Julie Negedu, told Justice Lewis-Allagoa that the three men and others now at large, on May 8, 2024 at Agric/Building Material Association Market, Lagos, Lagos State conspired among themselves to deal and transport 34, 400 Litres of cough syrup ladden with Codeine, a prohibited substance.
Barrister Negedu told the court that the illegal acts of the convicted men contravened sections 11(b); 11(c) and 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act Cap N 30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. And punishable under the same Act.
Based on the convicts’ guilty plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the case, as well, tendered all Exhibits, which includes bulk of the prohibited drug, the convicts’ confessional statements and others.
Upon conclusion of the review of the facts in the case and tendering of the exhibits, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence the three men according to the charges against them.
But lawyer to the convicted men, Mimidoo R. Nyiev, in her allocutus pleaded for leniency on behalf of her clients. Adding that they are first time offenders, who have learnt lesson since their incarceration.
Barrister Nyiev further told the court that her clients have promised never to go back into crime, if given a second chance.
She pleaded with the court to consider the option of non – custodian sentence, by imposing fine.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa, after listening to the counsel’s allocutus, and confirming from the prosecutor that the three convicted men did not have any past criminal record, sentenced them to seven years imprisonment on each of the three counts.
The trial judge, however, ordered that the sentences shall run concurrently but in alternative, a fine option of N4 million on each of the counts.
The judge ordered that, should in case the the convicts decided to chose the option of fine, they are to serve six months community service.
Charge against the convicts read: “That you Cosmas Obiajulu, Male, 51 years old and Ridwan Balogun Alabi Male, 28 years and Tayo Banjo Male, 30 years old and others now at large on or about the 8th day of May, 2024 at Agric/Building Material Association Market, Lagos, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, Conspired to deal in 34, 400 Litres of Cough Syrup with Codeine a drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and you thereby committed an offence as provided for and punishable under Section 14 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act Cap N 30, Laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004.
“That you Cosmas Obiajulu, Male, 51 years old and Ridwan Balogun AlabI Male, 28 years and Tayo Banjo Male, 30 years old and others now at-large on or about the 8th day of May, 2024, in the Agric/Building Material Association Market Lagos, Lagos State within the Jurisdiction of this honourable Court without lawful authority dealt in 34, 000 Litres of Cough Syrup with Codeine a drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and you therefore committed an offence as provided for and punishable under Section 11 (c} of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N 30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
That you Cosmas Obiajulu, Male, 51 years old and Ridwan Balogun Alabi Male, 28 years and Tayo Banjo Male, 30 years old and others now at-large on or about the 8 day of May, 2024 at Agric/Building Material Association Market, Lagos, Lagos State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority transported 34, 400 Litres of Cough Syrup with Codeine a drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and you thereby committed an Offence as provided for and punishable under Section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act Cap N 30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”