Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court in Ibadan Tuesday sentenced a 38-year-old man, Abdullahi Afolabi, to four years imprisonment for selling 1.4kg of heroine in an Ibadan rehabilitation centre.
The judge held that she sentenced Afolabi based on the evidence tendered against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, as well as his guilty plea.
She noted that she considered the fact that the convict was a first time offender and that he did not waste the time and resources of the court before pleading guilty.
“Therefore, Afolabi is sentenced to four years imprisonment and sentence starts from the date he was first arrested.
“The exhibit found in his possession shall be destroyed by NDLEA,” Maha held.
Earlier, the defence counsel, Mr Musbau Olapade had prayed the court to exercise its discretion in the matter by tempering justice with mercy in sentencing his client, adding that he had learnt a bitter lesson during his incarceration since June.
“My Lord, Afolabi is remorseful of his action and has turned a new leaf.
“He confided in me that if given another chance, he would contribute positively to the society henceforth,” Olapade pleaded with the court.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr Daniel Otunla had told the court that the convict committed the crime on June 16 behind New World Hospital area in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Otunla added that NDLEA operatives acted on a tip-off from informants that the convict was dealing in illicit substances.
According to him, he was eventually apprehended with a sack containing 1.4kg of heroine within the premises of a rehabilitation centre trying to sell the banned substance to rehabilitees.
He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 11 (C ) of the NDLEA Act Cap n30, Law of the Federation 2004.
