Court sentences clearing agent to 6 months community service for narcotics trafficking
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday convicted and sentenced a freight agent Ogalu Alexander to six months community service for export of hard narcotics
Ogalu Alexander had pleaded guilty to the one count charge of unlawful export of the banned substance, in a charge preferred against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The prosecutor, E. Okon, while arraigning Ogalu Alexander before the court, stated that the convict had on March 25, 2023, unlawfully exported 30 grams of Estacy, a hard drug, a Psychotropic substance similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD, at the Ikeja office of DHL.
According to the charge filed by the prosecutor, the illegal act of the convict contravened Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap 30 Law of the Federation 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
The convict pleaded guilty to the charge against him.
Based on his plea, the prosecutor after reviewing the facts of the charge and tendering of the exhibits, urged the court to convict and sentence Ogalu Alexander in accordance with Section 274 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
However, counsel to the convict, Bolanle Kolawole, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing the convict, submitting that his earlier guilty plea, was a sign of remorsefulness.
The counsel told the court that the convict was mislead by his clients in freight business.
She urged the court to give him a non-custodian sentence or option of fine in lieu of the custodian sentence.
After listening to the allocutus and considering the mitigation as stated by the counsel, Justice Allagoa sentenced the convict to six months community service.
The one count charge reads: “That you Ogalu Alexander Ameh, Male, Adult on or about the 25th of March 2024, at DHL Courier Company Nacho Ikeja, Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court without lawful authority exported 30 grams of Estacy which is a Psychotropic substance similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD and therefore committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap 30 Law Of The Federation 2004.
