39- year- old landlord bags two years jail term for harbouring cannabis sativa
AFEDERAL High Court sitting in Ibadan, yesterday, sentenced a 39- year- old landlord, Ahmed Kehinde, to two years imprisonment for allowing his residence to be used in storing 77.6kg of Cannabis sativa.
Trial judge, Justice Uche Agomoh, convicted and sentenced the convict based on the evidence tendered against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA).
In his judgment, the judge sentenced Kehinde to two years imprisonment from the date he was first arrested.
He said he wants the convict to realise that being an ex- convict will remain a stigma on his image and that he should not partake in any form of crime again.
Agomoh added that maximum punishment would be applied on him if caught again.
“This judgment takes into cognisance, the plea of the defence counsel for the court to temper justice with mercy in respect of his client.
“More so that the convict is a first time offender and did not waste the time and resources of the court.
“The weed exhibit found in possession of the convict shall be destroyed by the NDLEA,” the court held.
The defence counsel, J. Morakinyo, had before the judgment prayed the court to exercise its discretionary powers in reducing his client’s punishment.
The prosecutor for Oyo State Command of the agency, Raphael Himinkaiye, had told the court that the convict was arraigned on one count of unlawful harbouring of Cannabis sativa.
He said the agency’s operatives apprehended him on August 14, 2021, at No. 1 Rockview area, Iyana Agbala, Egbeda Local Council of Oyo State.
He added that sacks containing 77.6 kg of narcotics were stored in the house belonging to the convict.
Himinkaiye said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 12 of the NDLEA act Cap N30 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, which prescribes a maximum of life imprisonment for anyone convicted.