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A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced a 26-year-old lawyer, Sulaimon Kaosarat Yetunde, to five years imprisonment for drug trafficking.
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Justice Daniel Osiagor handed down the verdict on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, following Miss Yetunde’s guilty plea to a charge of conspiracy and the unlawful export of 1.10 kilograms of cannabis sativa.
The convict, who was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), was said to have studied law at a Benin Republic university.
Prosecution counsel 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.
The court heard that Yetunde procured one Benjamin Christopher Joel to commit the illegal act.
The prosecutor said 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.
Following her plea, 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.
In a bench ruling, Justice Osiagor sentenced Yetunde to five years imprisonment.
The judge, however, ordered the convict to pay the sum of N100,000 as an option in place of the jail terms.
He ordered that all the exhibits recovered from the convict and tendered by the prosecution be destroyed if there is no appeal against the judgment.
The charges against the lawyer read: “That you, Sulaimon Yetunde, female, adult of No. 28, Fehintola Giwa Street, Aguda – Surulere, Lagos State, on or about July 18, 2022 at Export Shed of National Handling Company Limited, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos, procured one Benjamin Joel to export 1.10 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to cocaine, LSD, heroin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 21 (2)(d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under 11 (b) of the same Act.
“That you, Sulaimon Yetunde, female, adult of No. 28, Fehintola Giwa Street, Aguda – Surulere, Lagos State on or about July 18, 2022 at Export Shed of National Handling Company Limited, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos without lawful authority, exported 1.10 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to Cocaine, LSD, Heroin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
