10th April, 2018
Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Tuesday sentenced three drug dealers to a total of 24 months imprisonment for peddling 4.65 kilogrammes of Indian Hemp.
Abdumaleek convicted Rasaq Mudashiru, 20; Ibrahim Abideen, 21 and Saka Tiamiyu, 30, after they had pleaded guilty to the one-count charge.
The judge said that the trio were convicted based on the evidence before the court and the fact that they pleaded guilty to the charge.
“In view of the worrisome dimension which drug trafficking has assumed in the society and to serve as deterrent to others, Rasaq Mudashiru is sentenced to one year imprisonment.
“Ibrahim Abideen and Saka Tiamiyu are sentenced to six months imprisonment each.
“The sentencing starts from the date each of the convicts were first arrested and detained.
“All the exhibits found with the trio are hereby forfeited to the NDLEA,” the judge stated.
Mr Musbau Olapade, counsel to the first and second convicts, had prayed the court to show his clients mercy by reducing their punishment because they were still very young.
Earlier, Mr Raphael Himinkaiye, counsel to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Command, had informed the court that the convicts had unlawful dealing in Indian Hemp.
Himinkaiye said that Mudashiru, Abideen and Tiamiyu committed the crime on March 18, Feb. 15 and 10 respectively, at various locations in Ibadan and Oyo Town.
According to the prosecutor, the first convict was caught with a sack containing 2.25 kilogrammes of the substance.
He said the second convict was apprehended with 900 grammes and the third caught with 1.5 kilogrammes of the harmful weeds.
The counsel further said that the offence contravened Section 11 (C ) of the NDLEA Act Cap N 30 Law of the Federation, 2004.