9th November, 2016
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday sentenced a 25-year-old photographer, Gabriel Ewulo, to one year imprisonment for dealing in 1.7kg of Cannabis Sativa.
Justice Mohammed Idris convicted the photographer, who pleaded guilty to a one-count charge preferred against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
“The accused did not waste the time of the court, and is hereby sentenced to a term of one year imprisonment to begin from the date of his arrest,” Idris held.
The judge also ordered that the drug exhibit should be destroyed if there would not be any appeal against the judgment.
The prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, had, following Ewulo’s plea, tendered evidence before the court to establish the prosecution’s case.
The evidence included a written statement of the accused, a request for scientific aid form, a drug analysis form as well as a bulk of the exhibit.
The court admitted them in evidence.
Shortly before his sentence, the photographer prayed the court to show him mercy.
He said that he was a first offender.
He promised to turn a new leaf and engage in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, if shown mercy.
In the charge, the NDLEA said that Ewulo traded on 1.7kg of Cannabis Sativa on July 28 at the Orile-Agege area of Lagos.
He said that the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.