A convicted drugs dealer, Chief Odugwe Azubuike, has forfeited a total sum of N31, 425, 813. 55 million and two vehicles to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The forfeiture order of the monies and vehicles belonging to the convicted drug dealer was made by a Federal High Court, Lagos, while giving judgement in a criminal charge filed against him by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
NDLEA had in a charge marked FHC/L/122c/10, States that the drugs dealer unlawfully imported 3.150 kilograms of cocaine into the country through one Oleshi Josephine Otuochima.
The offence according to the prosecutor, Ichakpa Oigoga is contrary to and punishable under section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30 Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.
During the convict’s trial in 2010, when he was first arraigned before the court, prosecutor had called two witnesses tendered several exhibits.
However, midway to the trial, the convict jumped bail. But was latter arrested and arraigned for another drug related offences and convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment by Justice Saliu Saidu of the same court.
It was while serving the three years jail term that he was again rearrested to continue with the former charge which was amended to one count which he pleaded guilty to.
Following his guilty to the charge, the prosecutor, Ichakpa, told the court that his agency, apart from the drug seized from the unrepentant convict, also recovered the sum of N31, 321, 013.55 million and N104,800,00 from his Ecobank account number 0021934640 and Zenith Bank’s account number 6123005577.
He also informed the court that two vehicles, a Toyota 4Runner marked HB 452 AAA and Toyota Sienna with number KS 620 AAA, were recovered from the convict. Adding that both the monies and the vehicles are proceeds of illicit drug.
He therefore urged the court to forfeit the money and the vehicles to the Federal government of apart from custodian sentence to be pass of the convict.
Following the plea of the convict and the submission of the prosecutor, Justice Mohammed Liman, upheld the prosecutor’s submission, and sentenced the convict to five years imprisonment and ordered that both the monies and vehicles be forfeited to the federal government of Nigeria.