87 Years Old Woman Jailed In Lagos For Selling Cannabis
Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday, convicted an 87 year-old woman, Agbomabiwon Maria Seriki, for dealing in 10.3 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa.
However, instead of sending the convict to prison, Justice Rabiu-Shagari ordered that she be remanded at the Lagos State’s Old People’s Home, Yaba, pending when any member of her family, who is willing and able to take proper care of her, apply to court to take over her custody.
The convict, who was arraigned before the court by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) last week Tuesday, had pleaded guilty to the one count charge of unlawful dealing in 10.3 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic similar to cocaine, heroine and LSD.
After her plea was taken, the prosecutor, Aliyu Abubakar, had urged the court to adjourn the matter till Thursday, to review the fact of the case.
At the resumed hearing of the matter Thursday, after reviewing the fact of the case, Abubakar tendered some exhibits which includes the convict’s confessional statements, drug test analysis, and the bulk of the Cannabis Sativa seized from her, which were admitted as exhibits by the court.
The court pronounced the 87 years old woman convicted as charged.
However, the convict’s lawyer, Prosper Ojakovo, in his plea for mercy, pleaded with the court to be lenient while handing down its verdict.
Ojakovo informed the judge that the convict was a first time offender, who has nobody to take care of her. He pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy, and consider her age in sentencing her.
Justice Rabiu-Shagari, in her ruling, held that sending the convict to prison will not be of any benefit, especially considering her age.
The judge consequently ordered that the convict be remanded at the Lagos State’s Old People’s Home, Yaba, pending when any member of her family who is willing and able to take proper care of her applies to court for such.
In a similar development, Justice Rabiu-Shagari also sentenced a 56 years old woman, Anya Nneoma, to 12 months’ imprisonment, for unlawfully dealing in 5.5 kilograms of marijuana.
Anya, a resident of Vulcaniser area of Seme, Badagry, had also pleaded guilty before the court last Tuesday for the offence.
She was however unlucky, as the judge ordered that she be kept at the female section of Kirikiri prison for the next 12 calendar months.
The convict’s crime is contrary to, and punishable under Section 11(c) of NDLEA cap. N30, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.
