Man Jailed Five Months For Selling Indian Hemp

A middle aged man, Victor Lawrence, has been sentenced to a five months imprisonment with option by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt presided over by Justice T. Abubakar for selling cannibis substances.

However, the time of the imprisonment was in retrospect with effect from the date when the convict was arrested.

Victor Lawrence, 23, was arraigned and trial on a one court charge for selling cannabis substances and contravening other drug related offences before Justice T. Abubakar.

The convict was said to have been arrested by officials of the Nigeria Police along slaughter axis of Port Harcourt Local Government Area on 27th September, 2011 impossession of 92 Raps of cannibis hid in a blue purse and dragged to the Federal High Court by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, Rivers State Command (NDLEA).

The convict had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge brought against him during the preliminary trial, however, admitted to have committed the crime when the court resumed hearing on the matter, Monday.

During the cross examination, the exhibit officer, National Drug Law Enforcement Officer (NDLEA), Rivers State Command, Mr Lawal Monday Adetula informed the court that two police men brought the convict to their office with a blue wallet (purse) containing 92 Raps of the Indian hemp substance.

According to the Exhibit Officer, the Substance was later subjected to a lab test at the command headquarters in Abuja and that the result of the lab test conducted on the substance proved to be a cannibis weighing 200 grams details of the test was forwarded to the office.

In his submission, the Prosecuting Counsel to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Barrister Patrick Eshua urged the court to sentenced the accused person since he has admitted committing the offence as charged against him before the honourable court adding that the convict committed the offence under section 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act Laws of the Federation 2004.

However, the convict, Victor Lawrence did not raised any objections on the evidence given by the exhibit officer during the cross examination but pleaded with the judge to tamper justice with mercy.

Sentencing the convict, the trial judge, Justice T. Abubakar ordered that the accused person, Lawrence Victor be sentenced to five months imprisonment beginning from the first month he was arrested and ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to destroy the Indian hemp substance.