15th May, 2018
For trafficking in hard drugs, two men — Femi Oloye and Ayomide Oladiti — were on Tuesday sent to jail for five months, according to a ruling by a Federal High Court in Ibadan.
The duo was found guilty of dealing in 1.3 kg of Cannabis (Hemp).
Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel, in two separate judgments, said the court sentenced Oloye and Oladiti based on the evidence before it.
“I have considered the fact that Oloye and Oladiti are first-time offenders and have not wasted the time of the court in this case.
“Therefore, Oloye is sentenced to two months imprisonment and Oladiti to three months imprisonment. The sentences start from the date they were first arrested.
“Surely, the convicts would have learnt bitter lessons by reorganizing themselves properly in the society after their dependants will suffer greatly in their absence as they are both married with children,’’ the judge said.
Mr Musbau Olapade, the Defense Counsel, had pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the men.
“I want to beg My Lord to give my clients minimum sentence because their dependants will suffer greatly in their absence. Oloye and Oladiti are married with wives and children.
“Surely, the duo would have learnt bitter lessons after serving the jail terms,” Olapade told the court.
Mr Raphael Himinkaiye, Counsel to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Command, had informed the court that the duo was facing a charge of unlawful dealing in hemp.
Himinkaiye said the drug traffickers committed the crime on March 10 and March 15 respectively at Tipper Garage, Ologuneru and Ikeere Village in Akinyele Area of Ibadan.
The prosecutor said the first convict was caught with 400 grammes of hemp while the second convict was apprehended with 900 grammes of the illicit drug.
The offence violated Section 11(C) of the NDLEA Act, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.