The Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced and convicted a couple, Mr. Ikechukwu Okafor and Ifeyinwa Okafor.
The judgment on Wednesday saw the couple bag a two-year imprisonment term.
Their conviction stemmed from the unlawful dealing in 19.12 kilograms of Methamphetamine, a prohibited substance.
Background
The charges brought against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) included five counts of conspiracy, unlawful dealing, and unlawful possession of the banned drug.
According to the prosecutor, Mr. A. G. Yaunyam, the couple committed these crimes on October 5, 2023, at their residence in Ago-Palace Way, Okota, Lagos.
These offenses were in contravention of sections 14, 19, and 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004
Following the couple’s guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to impose a sentence in accordance with the relevant sections of the NDLEA Act.
In contrast, their lawyer, Benson Ndakara, appealed to the court for leniency and a more merciful sentencing approach.
Ndakara, referencing various legal authorities, emphasized that his clients were first-time convicts without prior criminal records.
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Court’s Decision
Justice Oweibo, in his judgment sentenced the couple to 24 months z imprisonment.
However, in an additional order, the judge mandated that the convicts pay a fine of N3 million as a fine option for each of the counts, totaling N1.5 million each.
