The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a 30-year-old man, Adedeji Adeleye, to 10 years imprisonment for trafficking in 100 grammes of Indian hemp.
There was drama as two other suspects, Kehinde Ogunmola (38) and Enitan Ibrahim (25), attempted to flee from being detained at the prison after their arraignment.
But they were caught by prison officials as they fled to the lagoon opposite the court.
Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia convicted Adeleye after he pleaded guilty to one-count charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The judge sentenced him without an option of fine. Adeleye’s offence contravened Section 281 of the Criminal Procedure Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
Prosecution counsel Mr Orji Kalu said Adeleye was arrested due to a petition written against him by some landlords.
He said the convict was caught by some NDLEA operatives last November 26 at his residence while unlawfully dealing in Indian hemp.
He said the convict made a confessional statement during an investigation into the crime.
He told the court that the substance found on the convict proved to be Indian hemp when it was tested at an NDLEA forensic laboratory.
Ogunmola and Ibrahim were arraigned before Justice Musa Kurya for drug offences.
NDLEA said Ogunmola, on March 4, at Shita Street, Surulere, dealt in 26.1 grammes of heroine, a narcotic drug, without lawful authority.
He was also alleged to have dealt in 4.5 grammes of cocaine, an offence punishable under Section 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act 2004.
Ibrahim was said to have dealt in 600 grammes of cannabis sativa without lawful authority on May 8 at Itupate area of Ikorodu, Lagos.
After their arraignment, a prison official Mr Gila Moses, went with them to the court’s registry to process their remand order.
As he was speaking to an official, the suspects, who were not hand-cuffed, fled. There was confusion as several court officials and passersby chased after them.
Ibrahim surrendered,? but Ogunmola continued running, heading toward the lagoon just opposite the court.
Unfortunately, he could not swim, and Moses, who chased after him, dived into the water after Ogunmola and arrested him.
Their trial will begin on July 8.