A Federal High Court in Lagos State has convicted and sentenced a 32-year-old man, Cyril Ewelike, to two years imprisonment for hemp trafficking.

Justice Mohammed Kala, however, gave the defendant an option of N200,000 fine.

The convict was charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on a two-count charge of conspiracy and export of 3.4kg of hemp to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

He was arraigned on February 1 and pleaded guilty to the charge.

The court, however, adjourned the case following an application by the prosecution, Juliana Iroabuchi, for a short adjournment to enable her to review the facts of the case.

Mr Iroabuchi, who reviewed the facts before the court, tendered nine exhibits which the court admitted as evidence.

She urged the court to proceed and convict the defendant, based on his plea and the evidence of prosecution, while the defendant had no objection to the facts presented by the prosecution.

Justice Kala consequently convicted the defendant as charged.

Meanwhile, before sentence, the defendant begged the court to show mercy as he was a first offender with no past criminal records, and urged the court to give an option of fine.

The court, in its verdict, sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment with an option of N200,000 fine.

The court also ordered that the drugs, which were tendered as exhibits, be destroyed by the NDLEA within 60 days, if there was no appeal against the judgment.

According to the charge, the defendant committed the offence on December 5, 2022, during the examination of cargo at the Shaco Export Shed of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos

The prosecutor said that the convict exported 3.4 kg of cannabis, without lawful authority, to Dubai.

She said that the convict committed the offence in conspiracy with one Uche Onowu, a Nigerian who resides in Dubai, but was at large.

The offence contravenes the provisions of section 11(b) and 14(b) of the NDLEA Act 2004.

(NAN)