NDLEA arraigns university drop-out for alleged possession of one hectare of cannabis

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Enugu state on Tuesday arraigned Paul Enyivigbo before a Federal High Court for alleged possession of one hectare of cannabis sativa.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr J. O. Momodu, told the court that Enyivigbo until his arrest was a drop-out of University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).

Momodu said the accused was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, selling and possession of such quantity of unlawful substance without authorisation from NDLEA.

He said that a concerned citizen who pleaded anonymity reported the matter with details and address of the accused farm plantation.

The prosecutor said that the accused has been in the business for the past two years without the knowledge of his parents.

Momodu said that when the accused was arrested in June this year, the parents were invited for interrogation.

“The parents said that the accused has been collecting school fees, accommodation fee, feeding money, etc, from them pretending to be in school while he is not,” he said.

He said that the accused built a mud house where he was living very close to his farm to enable him monitor the plantation closely.

Momodu said that some of the farmers in that farm settlement complained that the accused has been terrorising them and taking way their personal belongings forcefully.

However, the counsel to the accused, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuja, said that his client was a university drop-out because his parents have no money to carter for his education.

Ugwuja said that his client has a cassava plantation at Agu-Opi farm settlement but definitely not cannabis sativa plantation.

Justice Dorothy Agishi, adjourned the matter to Oct. 2 for continuation of hearing. (NAN)