MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 41-year old man, Olusesi Yusuf, has been sentenced to 600 hours of community service by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of a Lagos Federal High Court, for selling hard drugs on the street of Lagos.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the father of five children was sentenced accordingly for illegal dealing and possession of some banned substances after he pleaded guilty before the Court.
The prosecutor, M. I. Erondu, told the Court that the convict was arrested on 6th March, 2023 at Felix Ogaga Close, Aso Oke, Ajah Lagos State, where he was selling the banned substances, which included 15.5 grams of Cocaine; 14 grams of India hemp; and a total of 14 grams of Swinol, a psychotropic substance.
The prosecutor told the Court that the offences committed by the convict, contravened 19 and 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
The convict, who is an Air conditioner repairer, admitted committing the offences and pleaded guilty to the charges.
Upon the convict’s plea, the prosecutor urged the Court to sentence him, having pleaded guilty to the charges.
However, lawyer to the convict, Oke Ojakovo, in his allocution, pleaded with the Court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing him.
The lawyer told the Court that his client, who is a first time offender, is an air conditioner repairer with five children and a pregnant wife, adding that he was misled into selling the substances by his friends.
The lawyer told the Court that the convict has learnt his lesson in a bitter way. He therefore, urged the Court to award an option of fine instead on custodian sentence.
Justice Awogboro, in her judgment, sentenced the convict to 600 hour community service. While she also ordered that all the substances recover from him should be destroyed by the NDLEA.