Court convicts three for alleged drug trafficking, forfeit bus, N3m bribe to FG

By Sodiq Adelakun

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted Okechukwu Umeh, Lanre  Adebayo, Adigun Adeshina and Emmanuel Omijeh, who were arraigned on three counts bordering on drug trafficking.

This is just as they forfeited the Federal Government the bus they used in conveying 532.8Kg of the Loud variant of cannabis on the day of their arrest and the N3million bribe they offered operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency  (NDLEA).

The agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement made available to Nigerian NewsDirect on Tuesday.

Babafemi said the convicts were arraigned on three counts in charge number FHC/L/87c/2023, and that the trial judge, Justice Akintayo Aluko, on Thursday, March 16 convicted and sentenced each of them to five years on count one; and seven years each on counts two and three.

The NDLEA spokesperson said, “While the judge ruled that the sentences should run concurrently, he also gave the four convicts the option of paying N20million in place of the jail terms.

“This is in addition to granting the application by the NDLEA for the final forfeiture of a white colour Ford bus with number plate PHC 315 ZT, used in conveying 532. 8kg of the Loud variant of cannabis on the day of their arrest, Sunday, January 22, 2023, along Lagos- Ibadan Expressway.

“The court also granted the final forfeiture of N3million offered as a bribe by the convicts to NDLEA officers.

“The drugs concealed with ‘take away’ food packs in 19 big cartons were seized in the white Ford bus heading to Port Harcourt, Rivers State along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at 2.35am on Sunday, January 22.”