Lagos Court Sentences 35-year-old Woman to 15 Years Jail over Drug Trafficking

A Federal High Court in Lagos on 25th April 2023 sentenced a 32-year-old woman, Oladitan Olufunmilayo, to 15 years imprisonment following her arraignment by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over the offense of trafficking banned substances. 

The convict was arrested with the prohibited drugs on November 3, 2022, at Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc Export Shed at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the examination and clearing of cargo to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

At the court, the NDLEA prosecutor, Augustine Nwagu, revealed that 7 grams of Cocaine; 11 grams of Methamphetamine; 52 grams of Cannabis Sativa (Indian Hemp); 47 grams of Tramadol 225mg, and 106 grams of Rohypnol were found with the woman upon her arrest.

Nwagu told the court that the offenses committed contravened Sections 11(b) and 20(1)(a) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; and are punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the same Act.

During the arraignment, the convict pleaded guilty but the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence her according to the sections of the laws she was charged with.

Consequently, her counsel, Dennis Warri, implored the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing her, noting that his client is a first-time offender.

The president judge, Justice Osiagor therefore, sentenced the convict to three years imprisonment in each, with an option of N350, 000, and one week on each of the counts. While he also ordered that the jail term should run concurrently.