A Federal High Court in Lagos, has convicted and sentenced a South African Woman, Lorato Lekganyani, to six months imprisonment, for attempting to export 1.201kg of Cocaine outside the country.
The court presided over by Justice AbdulAziz Anka, convicted and sentenced the South African, after she pleaded guilty to the charges leveled against her by the anti-drug agency, the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The NDLEA in charge number FHC/L/229C/16, stated that the South African convict, was arrested with the said banned substances on or about May 20, 2016, at the Muritala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the outward clearance of South African Airline Flight from Lagos to Johannesburg.
The convict was arraigned in two count charges bordering on conspiracy and attempt to export Cocaine without lawful authority.
The Offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Augustine Nwagu, are contrary to and punishable under Sections 14(b) and 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
On her arraignment today, the accused pleaded guilty to the charges.
Upon the guilty plea of the convict, the prosecutor, Mr.Augustine Nwagu, urged the court to convict and sentence her accordingly.
The prosecutor also tendered some exhibits which includes the banned drug recovered from the convict, her international traveling passport with boarding pass, her three confessional statements which were admitted as exhibits.
However, in the convict's plea for leniency her lawyer, Chief Lilian Omotunde, urged the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing her client.
In pleading for lesser sentence, Chief Omotunde informed the court that her client apart from being a foreigner, is suffering from epilepsy, and that she was unconscious on three occasions while in the custody of NDLEA.
Chief Omotunde tendered some medical reports to support her submissions. She therefore urged the court to be lenient in sentencing her client.
Delivery judgement on the charge, Justice AbdulAziz Anka sentenced the South African convict to six months imprisonment.
The Judge ordered that the time of conviction should commence from may 20, when the convict has been in detention.
Arraigned alongside the convicted south African woman was one Omosu Sunday, who was alleged to have procure her for the exportation of the banned drug.
The accused however pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him.
Upon his not guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to remand him in prison custody, and fixe a date for trial.
But his lawyer, Mr. E. U. Okenyi, urged the court to admit his client to bail. But the court refused the oral application on the ground that the lawyer should have filed a proper application before the court.
Consequently, justice Ankara adjourned till September 30, for his trial
The court presided over by Justice AbdulAziz Anka, convicted and sentenced the South African, after she pleaded guilty to the charges leveled against her by the anti-drug agency, the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The NDLEA in charge number FHC/L/229C/16, stated that the South African convict, was arrested with the said banned substances on or about May 20, 2016, at the Muritala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during the outward clearance of South African Airline Flight from Lagos to Johannesburg.
The convict was arraigned in two count charges bordering on conspiracy and attempt to export Cocaine without lawful authority.
The Offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Augustine Nwagu, are contrary to and punishable under Sections 14(b) and 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
On her arraignment today, the accused pleaded guilty to the charges.
Upon the guilty plea of the convict, the prosecutor, Mr.Augustine Nwagu, urged the court to convict and sentence her accordingly.
The prosecutor also tendered some exhibits which includes the banned drug recovered from the convict, her international traveling passport with boarding pass, her three confessional statements which were admitted as exhibits.
However, in the convict's plea for leniency her lawyer, Chief Lilian Omotunde, urged the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing her client.
In pleading for lesser sentence, Chief Omotunde informed the court that her client apart from being a foreigner, is suffering from epilepsy, and that she was unconscious on three occasions while in the custody of NDLEA.
Chief Omotunde tendered some medical reports to support her submissions. She therefore urged the court to be lenient in sentencing her client.
Delivery judgement on the charge, Justice AbdulAziz Anka sentenced the South African convict to six months imprisonment.
The Judge ordered that the time of conviction should commence from may 20, when the convict has been in detention.
Arraigned alongside the convicted south African woman was one Omosu Sunday, who was alleged to have procure her for the exportation of the banned drug.
The accused however pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him.
Upon his not guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to remand him in prison custody, and fixe a date for trial.
But his lawyer, Mr. E. U. Okenyi, urged the court to admit his client to bail. But the court refused the oral application on the ground that the lawyer should have filed a proper application before the court.
Consequently, justice Ankara adjourned till September 30, for his trial
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