On Tuesday, a Federal High Court in Lagos sentenced Yetunde Sulaimon, a 26-year-old lawyer, to five years in prison for drug trafficking.
The defendant, who attended law school in the Benin Republic, entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy charges and the illegal export of 1.10 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, and Justice Daniel Osiagor sentenced her.
The prosecutor, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, had earlier informed the court during the defendant’s arraignment that the defendant, who resided in the Surulere neighbourhood of Lagos near Aguda, was detained on July 18, 2022, at the Export Shed of National Handling Company Limited, a Customs area/point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, when she attempted to export the illegal drug.
Additionally, Abu informed the court that Benjamin Joel assisted the defendant in carrying out the unlawful deed.
According to him, the offence committed contravened sections 21 (2)(d) and 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under 11 (b) of the same Act.
The defendant, however, admitted guilt to the accusations made against her.
After she made a plea, the prosecutor urged the court to find her guilty and sentence her in accordance with the legal provisions she was accused of violating.
Although she was a first-time offender who had become regretful of her error and swore never to repeat it, the convict’s attorney, Mr. Benson Ndakara, pleaded with the court to be lenient in sentencing his client and to take it into account.
After hearing both counsels’ arguments, Justice Osiagor gave her a five-year prison term.
The judge further mandated that all evidence seized from the defendant and presented by the prosecution in court be destroyed if a legal appeal was not filed within the allotted time limit. The judge also ordered the defendant to pay N100,000 as an alternative to serving time in jail.
The charges against the lawyer read: “That you, Sulaimon Yetunde, female, adult of No. 28, Fehintola Giwa Street, Aguda – Surulere, Lagos State, on or about July 18, 2022, at Export Shed of National Handling Company Limited, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos, procured one Benjamin Joel to export 1.10 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to cocaine, LSD, heroin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 21 (2)(d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under 11 (b) of the same Act.
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