The accused had urged the court to temper justice with mercy, as he was a first offender.
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday sentenced a 28-year-old bricklayer, Nurudeen Olakunle, to five years imprisonment for dealing in 1kg of hemp.
Justice Babs Kuewumi sentenced Olakunle, without giving him an option of fine, after he pleaded guilty to a charge of drug trafficking.
“The accused is found guilty of the charge before this honourable court, and is hereby convicted.
“He is accordingly, sentenced to a term of five years, beginning from the date of his arrest.
“The drug is to be destroyed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), if there is no appeal against this judgment,” he said.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered several documents and the hemp as exhibits.
Aernan submitted to the court a written statement of the accused, a scientific aid form, a forensic analysis form and the hemp.
He urged the court to sentence the accused based on evidence before it.
The accused had urged the court to temper justice with mercy, as he was a first offender.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convict was first arraigned on July 25.
Aernan had told the court that Olakunle committed the offence on June 6, at Mazamaza area of Lagos State.
He said the accused was arrested on a tip off and the 1kg of hemp was found in his possession.
“Hemp is categorised by the agency as a banned narcotic,’’ he said.
The offence contravened Section 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation 2004.
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