A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday convicted and sentenced a 24-year-old man, Emmanuel Chekwube, to seven years imprisonment for drug trafficking.

Justice Lewis Allagoa sentenced the convict after he had pleaded guilty to the four-count charge of drug trafficking.

Allagoa, however, gave the convict an option of five million naira fine.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had arraigned Chekwube on charges of conspiracy, illegal storage of restricted drug, unlawful use of premises to store banned narcotics and unlawful deal in narcotics.

He had pleaded guilty to the charges.

Following his plea, the Prosecutor, Ms M.

I. Erondu, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered several exhibits before the court, such as: a statement of the defendant, a drug analysis form and packaging of substance form.

Also tendered were: remnant of the narcotics, request for scientific aid form and transparent pouch, among others.

The prosecutor then urged the court to convict the defendant based on his plea as well as the evidences adduced.

Consequently, the judge convicted the defendant as charged.

Before the sentence, the defence had prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy, saying that as his client was a first time offender and that he would turn a new leaf.

Delivering his verdict afterwards, Allagoa sentenced Chekwube to seven years imprisonment on each count, which, he said, would run concurrently.

He, however, gave the convict an option of five million naira fine.

In the charge, the convict was said to have committed the offences on May 7 at Amukoko, Ijora area of Lagos.

He was said to have used the premises to engage in illegal storage of 56.2 kg Tramadol Hydrochloride, 1.2 kg Nitrazepam and 72g of Swinol

All the substances are said to have been listed in the NDLEA schedule as banned narcotics, thus contravening the provisions of Sections 12 and 14(b) of NDLEA Act, 2004. (NAN)

 A 19-year-old man, Yakubu Abdullahi, was on Wednesday arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly breaking into a shop and stealing goods worth N565,000

Abdullahi, whose address was not provided, is standing trial on a two-count charge of shop breaking and stealing.

The prosecutor, Insp Olasunkanmi Bamikole, told the court that the defendant and others at large committed the offences on June 6 at about 2.

00 p.m. in Ado-Ekiti.

He alleged that the defendant broke into the shop of one Ekundayo Idowu and stole a cash sum of N420,000 and goods valued at N145,000.

He said the total amount of items stolen was N565,000.

According to him, the offences contravened Section 324(1) and (2) and 302(1) (a) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

He urged the court to adjourn the case to enable him study the case file and assemble his witnesses.

Counsel to the defendant, Mr Femi Olarewaju, urged the court to grant the defendant bail, with a promise that he would not jump bail.

In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adefunke Anoma, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

She adjourned the case until July 1 for hearing. (NAN)

 An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday remanded three men at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre for allegedly defiling a 16-year-old girl (name withheld).

The state government arraigned Owhe Oghenero, Kingsley Oni,  and  Olorunwa Abina on a one-count charge of defilement.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Justice Rahman Oshodi thereafter remanded them at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre, where they were currently being held.

Oshodi adjourned the case until Oct. 27 for commencement of trial.

Earlier, the state counsel, Ms Bukola Okeowo, told the court that the defendants committed the offence sometime in 2023 at Aradagun Area in Badagry, Lagos.

Okeowo alleged the defendants defiled the girl, by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

She said the prosecution would present  five witnesses against the defendant.

According to the prosecution, the alleged offence contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.(NAN)