A Federal High Court in Lagos State has sentenced a 62-year-old man, Aremu, to nine years in jail for trafficking in cocaine.
Aremu was charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on three counts bordering on conspiracy and drug trafficking.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Aremu was first arraigned on March 7, and he pleaded not guilty.
However, on November 14, he opted to change his plea and was subsequently re-arraigned.
On his re-arraignment, he admitted guilt.
Following his guilty plea, the court adjourned the case for review of the facts.
On November 15, the Prosecution counsel, Mrs Juliana Iroabuchi, tendered nine exhibits which were all admitted.
Iroabuchi urged the court to sentence Aremu based on evidence adduced by the prosecution.
Justice Onyetenu found Aremu guilty of the offences and sentenced him to four years imprisonment on count one, three years’ imprisonment on count two and two years jail term on count three.
The judge ordered that the terms shall run concurrently.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel said that Aremu committed the offences on December 27, 2018.
She said that he was arrested at the Gate C, Departure Hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, during an outward clearance of passengers on board an Ethiopian Airline flight to India.
Iroabuchi said that Aremu concealed 2.66kg of cocaine in a brown travelling bag.
According to her, the convict conspired with two of his friends at large to commit the offences, in contravention of Sections 11 (b), 11(d) and 14(b) of the NDLEA Act, 2004.
(NAN)