32-year-old Drug Dealer, Cyril Ewelike Jailed Two Years Over Unlawful Export of 3.4 KG Cannabis

Justice Kala, had, however, adjourned the matter, consequent upon the application instituted by the counsel for the prosecution, Mrs Juliana Iroabuchi, for a short adjournment to enable her to review the facts of the case. In reviewing the facts of the case, the prosecutor tendered nine exhibits, which the court admitted as the evidence of the prosecution. Mrs Iroabuchi, thereafter, prayed to the judge to proceed and convict the defendant based on his plea and the evidence of the prosecution.

However, before handing down his judgement, Justice Kala asked the defendant if he agreed with the facts as presented by the prosecution, and the defendant had no objection. Consequently, Justice Kala convicted the defendant as charged. Before sending the drug merchant to jail, the counsel for the defence, Mrs Kate Igbo had urged Justice Kala to show mercy on the convict as he was a first-time offender with no past criminal records and prayed to the court to give him an option of fine. Responding, the prosecutor, Mrs Iroabuchi, informed the court that although the defendant had no previous criminal record, there were aggravating factors which the court should consider in sentencing the convict.

She informed the court that the convict did not plead guilty at first instance when he was first arraigned before a brother judge, Justice Yellim Bogoro. The prosecutor equally revealed that the convict had faked documents for his bail granted by Justice Bogoro and that his change of plea was only an afterthought. Mrs Iroabuchi hinted to the judge that granting the convict an option of fine is simply ridicule to the bench and to the bar and sends a very wrong signal to the society at large.

Mrs Iroabuchi argued that justice is not only for the convict alone, but 3-way traffic which is justice for the convict, the state, and the society at large. The prosecutor referred the court to Section 311 of the ACJA which provides for deterrence and urged the judge to do the same. Meanwhile, a mild drama ensued as the prosecutor was still speaking, the defence counsel, Mrs Igbo, ordered her to sit down, supported by another defence counsel, Oke Ojakovo, who is in another NDLEA case. But the judge intervened, and the situation was brought under control.

The prosecutor had insisted that there is pity for the convict, but none for the victims of the offence who have died because of drug addiction. In his judgement, Justice Kala, sentenced the convict to a term of two years imprisonment, with an option of N200, 000 fine. The court ordered that the drug exhibit be destroyed by the NDLEA, within 60 days, if there is no appeal against the judgement. In the charge, the defendant was said to have committed the offence on December 5, 2022, during the examination of cargo at the Sahco Export Shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

While addressing the court, the prosecutor explained that the convict exported 3.4 kg of Cannabis, without lawful authority, to Dubai. She said that the convict committed the offence in conspiracy with one Uche Onowu, a Nigerian who resides in Dubai but is now at large. The offence, the prosecutor said, contravenes the provisions of Section 11(b) and 14(b) of the NDLEA Act 2004.

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