A businessman, Aloysius Egbutiegbo who attempted to export 19.80kg to China was on Wednesday sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
Egbutiegbo was convicted following his guilty plea to a one-count charge of unauthorized and unlawful dealing in hard drugs.
The convict was apprehended by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on June 12, 2014, with 19.80kg of Cannabis Sativa while trying to travel to China.
Egbutiegbo had earlier pleaded not guilty to the offence, and was admitted to bail, but was unable to meet his bail terms.
At the resumed hearing on Monday, he however pleaded guilty. Consequently, Justice Idris sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment.
The convict’s counsel, Sunday Obunor, while pleading with the court to be lenient with his client said the convict was a first offender and a father of five children.
Justice Idris while delivering judgement said: “I show no mercy for people who deliberately join in tarnishing the image of the country, who import and export hard drugs in and outside the country.
“You and others like you have destroyed the society you live. You have destroyed innocent children. The law will catch you one after the other.”
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