MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 26-year old female lawyer, Miss Sulaimon Kaosarat Yetunde, may likely spend the next five years in the Correctional Centre for drug trafficking following the judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that Justice Daniel Osiagor convicted and sentenced Yetunde to the term of imprisonment after she pleaded guilty on the charge of conspiracy and the unlawful export of 1.10 kilograms of cannabis sativa.
The convict, Yetunde, who studied Law at University in Benin Republic, was arrested and charged before the Court by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for the alleged offence.
Prosecution, Mr. Abu Ibrahim told the Court that Yetunde of 28, Fehintola Giwa Street, Aguda – Surulere, Lagos, was arrested on July 18, 2022, at the Export Shed of the National Handling Company Limited (NAHCO), a Customs Area/Point of thé Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos.
She was said to have been attempting to export the banned substance before the NDLEA operatives caught her and immediately arrested her.
The prosecutor told the Court that Yetunde procured one Benjamin Christopher Joel to commit the illegal act, and the offences contravened Sections 21 (2)(d) and 11 (b) of the NDLEA Act, 2004 and were punishable under S. 11 (b) of the same Act.
Having pleaded guilty, Yetunde’s counsel, Mr. Benson Ndakara, prayed the Court for a lenient sentence, on the ground among others that the convict was a first-time offender and had become remorseful with a promise never to engage in such act.
However, Justice Osiagor sentenced Yetunde to five years imprisonment with an option of fine N100,000 in place of the jail terms.
The Court ordered that all the exhibits recovered from the convict and tendered by the prosecution before the Court should be destroyed if there is no appeal against the judgment.