Man, 56, Jailed For Trafficking In Cocaine
A 56 year-old man, Livinus Igbokwe, was Wednesday, convicted and sentenced to two years by a Lagos Federal High Court, for trafficking in 1.2 Kilogrames of Cocaine.
Justice Ibrahim Kala who presided over the court, passed the sentence of the drug trafficker, after he pleaded to that two counts change of conspiracy and trafficking in the banned substance made against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Justice Kala however gave the convict a leeway, as he was ordered to pay the sum of N500, 000, 00, in lieu of the jail-term.
The convict according to the prosecutor, Mr. Augustine Nwagu, was arrested on February 9, 2024, with the prohibited drug at at Ekeson Motor Park, 100, Badagry Express Way, Lafia Bus Stop, Orile Igamu, Lagos.
Nwagu told the court that the convict conspired with the duo of Mr. Nick and one Emmanuel, who are now at large to commit the illegal acts.
He further informed the court the convict and others now at large, trafficked the drug from Lagos to Onitsha, Anambra State.
He told the court that the convict’s acts contravened sections 14(b) and 20(1)(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. and punishable under the same Act.
The convict admitted commiting the crimes and pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to him.
Following his guilty plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the charge, as well tendered several exhibits which include, his confessional statements, bulk of the prohibited drug seized from him and others, these were admitted by the court.
Upon conclusion of the review of the facts, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence him according to the NDLEA Acts he was charged with.
But his lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara, in his allocutor pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client.
Ndakara, after citing plethora of legal authorities, urged the court to consider the option of fine in lieu of the custodian sentence.
Justice Kala, in his judgment, sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment. While ordered the convict to pay the sum of N500, 000, 00 as fine option in lieu for the jail-term.
