Court sentences drug trafficker, sponsor to four years in jail

Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced Silifat Akanbi, a drug trafficker bound for Saudi Arabia, and her sponsor, Wasiu Adebayo, to four years imprisonment for attempting to smuggle 2.90 kilograms of cocaine into the holy land.

The two convicts, Akanbi and Adebayo, pleaded guilty to the two counts of unlawful exportation of the banned drug as charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Before delivering the verdict, the prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, informed the court that the offences were committed on April 19, 2023, during the passenger clearance process for a Qatar Airways flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, via Doha.

Ibrahim further alleged that Adebayo, the first convict, conspired with Alhaja Rashidat, a.k.a. Mama Yinka, and an individual named Asumon, who are currently at large, to recruit Akanbi for the drug smuggling operation.

The prosecutor stated that the convicts concealed the drug by hiding it in cotton wool.

According to Ibrahim, these actions contravene section 21 (2) (d) and are punishable under section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Upon entering their guilty plea, Ibrahim urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants in accordance with the relevant sections of the law.

However, Chief Lilian Omotunde, the defense counsel, appealed to the court for leniency, emphasizing that the convicts had no prior criminal records and did not waste the court’s time.

In his judgment, Justice Osiagor sentenced each convict to two years imprisonment and two weeks of community service.

Additionally, the convicts were ordered to pay a fine of N2 million instead of serving the prison term.

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