The Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a 41-year-old father of five, Olusesi Yusuf, to 600 hours of community service, for illegal dealing and possession of some banned substances.
The defendant, according to the prosecutor M. I. Erondu, was arrested on March 6, 2023, 2023 at Felix Ogaga Close, Aso Oke, Ajah Lagos State, where he was selling the banned substances.
The banned drugs found on the convict when arrested, according to the prosecutor, included 15.5 grams of Cocaine; 14 grams of Indian hemp; and 14 grams of Swinol, a psychotropic substance.
The prosecutor told the court that the offences contravened sections 19 and 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, 2004.
Yusuf, an air conditioner repairer, pleaded guilty to the charge.
The Defense Counsel, Oke Ojakovo, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy. He said Yusuf was a first-time offender. He was also an air conditioner repairer with five children and a pregnant wife, adding that he was misled in selling the substances by his friends.
He told the court that the convict had learnt his lesson in the hard way. He prayed the court to award an option of a fine instead of a custodial sentence.
In her ruling, Justice Abimbola Awogboro sentenced the convict to 600-hour community service.
She ordered that all the substances recover from him be destroyed by the NDLEA.
Nation
