Court Jails Drug Baron 5 Years
A hard drug courier, Felix Rotimi Eshemokhai, has been convicted and sentenced to a total of five years imprisonment, by a Lagos Federal High Court, for unlawful exportation of 1.75 kilograms of heroin.
Felix, 47, was given the jail terms by Justice Tijjani Ringim, after he changed his plea on two counts charge of conspiracy and unlawful exportation of the banned substance, made against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
The convict had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges when he was first arraigned before the court.
But when the matter came up early last month, the convict, admitted committing the offences and his plea to guilty
Following his guilty plea, Justice Ringim adjourned the matter till yesterday, for review of facts and sentencing.
In reviewing the facts of the charge, the prosecutor, Mrs. Juliana Imaobong Iroabuchi, tendered 13 exhibits.
Parts of the exhibits tendered by the prosecutor includes: the bulk of the banned substance, the convict’s travelling documents, his confessional statement and results of forensic test conducted banned drug and others, which were admitted by the court.
Upon conclusion of the review of facts by the prosecutor, Justice Ringim pronounced the defendant guilty as charged on the two counts charge.
In his allocutor, lawyer to the convict, Mr. Okenyi, pleaded with court to be lenient with his client, saying that he was a first time offender.
However, Justice Ringim while delivering judgment on the charge on Wednesday, said the prosecution have proved the charges against the convict, beyond every reasonable doubt.
The judge also held that the quantity of the substance found with the convict, was of commercial value.
Justice Ringim consequently sentenced the convict to five years imprisonment on each of the counts.
The judge however gave the convict an option of N200, 000, 00 on count two of the charge, And that the terms of the sentence shall run concurrently.
The the prosecutor, Mrs. Juliana Imaobong Iroabuchi, had told the court that the convict, was arrested with the banned substance by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on February 8, 2022, at the Departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos during the outward clearance of passenger on Royal Air Maroc to Casablanca Morocco.
The prosecutor told the Court that the convict conspired with one Uche, who resides in Morocco and one Mike, both are said to be at large, to commit the offences.
The prosecutor Juliana, told the court that the convict’s offences, contravened sections 11(b) and 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
