Man gets 3-year jail term on his birthday for drug trafficking
Man gets 3-year jail term on his birthday for drug trafficking
NAN-H-77
Drugs
By Wandoo Sombo
Abuja, Feb.2. 2017 (NAN) The Federal High Court, Maitama Abuja, on Thursday sentenced one Ufoka Ikechukwu-Francis to three years imprisonment for trafficking 1.183 kg of cocaine.
Ikechuckwu-Francis, was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The convict who was arrested while returning from São Paulo, Brazil on May 25, 2015, clocked 33 years on Feb. 2
He was arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Ademola in 2015 and pleaded guilty to the offence.
Following Ademola’s arrest by the Department of State Security (DSS), the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, transferred the case to Justice Binta Nyako.
When re-arraigned before Justice Nyako on Thursday, he maintained his guilty plea.
His counsel, Mr Obiora Ilo pleaded with the court to show leniency and mercy.
Ilo said that the defendant had shown remorse by pleading guilty to the offence in order not to stress the court by wasting time on investigation.
“The heart of my lord is the fountain of mercy. As my lord can see, it is his remorse that is making him cry in the dock.
“He never intended to tarnish the image of the country; it is just unfortunate that some unscrupulous elements took advantage of his naivety.
“All we ask is that the court should tamper justice with mercy as the defendant is a first time offender,” Ilo said.
The prosecuting counsel, Mrs S.I. Mark had asked the court to convict the defendant following his guilty plea.
She tendered exhibits, including the cocaine, Brazillian currency, flight ticket and the defendant’s international passport.
Justice Nyako in her judgement, said that in the light of the defendant’s plea, and evidence presented before her, she found the defendant guilty as charged.
Nyako convicted him as prescribed by Section 11 (a) of the NDLEA Act.
She said that the three-year sentence was from the date he was arrested.
The judge said he got the minimum sentence because he was a first time offender and his demeanor showed that he was really remorseful.
She advised Ikechukwu-Francis, who wept openly in court that on his release, he should be an ambassador of speaking against drug trafficking to his peers.
The defendant is also to forfeit his international passport to the Federal Government.NAN)
WS/OU/OU
=========
Edited by Obike Ukoh
===============