Man jailed 18 months with hard labour for possession of cannabis sativa

A Federal High Court in Kaduna on Thursday sentenced a 28-year-old man, Olamilekan Adirieje , to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour for possession of 5.5kg cannabis sativa.

In her judgment, Justice Hadiza Shagari, said “You are hereby sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment with hard labour.

”The sentence will begin from the date of his arrest”.

Shagari also ordered that the drug exhibits be returned to the NDLEA for destruction.

Adirieje was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on one count of possession of illicit drugs.

The NDLEA Prosecution Counsel, Mr T. J. Atserhegh, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Jan. 10 at Dadinkowa Road, Kawo, Kaduna.

The prosecutor tendered some documents in evidence as well as some remnant of the cannabis substance.

He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap 30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

The convict had pleaded guilty, and begged for leniency and promised to turn a new leaf.