Drug Peddler Bags 10 Years Imprisonment

A 35-year-old drug peddler, Jacob Edo, last Thursday in Osogbo bagged a 10-year imprisonment for dealing in Indian Hemp.

Edo was sentenced by a Federal High Court, Osogbo, after pleading guilty to a one-count charge of peddling about 350.5 kilogramme of the weed.

The convict was re-arrested for jumping bail granted to him on July 27, 2009 when he was first arraigned.

The NDLEA prosecutor, Mr John Ameh, had told the court that Edo committed the offence on July 14, 2009, at Fadeyi Street, Ila-Orangun in Osun.

According to the charge sheet, Edo, without lawful authority, dealt in 350.5 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, known as Indian Hemp.

It was also stated that the offence was contrary to section 11 (C) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act.

Ameh said the convict had earlier pleaded not guilty to the one count charge when arraigned in 2009 and subsequently granted bail, but that absconded.

“Edo has been on the agency’s wanted list until he was re-arrested in Niger State and brought back to Osogbo to face his trial,” he said.

The convict, who was not represented by a legal practitioner, however, changed his plea and admitted to have committed the crime.

Justice Babatunde Kwewumi sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment without an option of fine.