Lawyer bags five-year jail term for drug trafficking

…With an option of N100,000 in lieu of the jail term

Abiodun OBA

A 26-year-old lawyer, Yetunde Sulaimon, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment, for drug trafficking.

Justice Daniel Osiagor of A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Tuesday, handed down the sentence to Sulaimon who studied law from one of the Benin Republic universities,

The convict had pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and unlawful export of exported 1.10 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa.

Mr. Abu Ibrahim, the prosecutor, had told the court when arraigned, that the convict, who resided around Aguda, Surulere area of Lagos, was arrested on July 18, 2022 at Export Shed of National Handling Company Limited, a Customs area/point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, when she attempted to export the banned weed.

Abu also told the court that the convict involved one Benjamin Joel to commit the illegal act.

According to him, the offence committed contravened sections 21 (2)(d) and 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30,

Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under 11 (b) of the same Act.

However, the convict pleaded guilty to the charges levelled against her.

Following her plea, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence her in accordance with the sections of the law she was charged with.

But counsel to the convict, Mr. Benson Ndakara, pleaded with the court to be lenient with his client in sentencing her, and to put into consideration that the convict was a first time offender, who has become remorseful of her action and promised never to engage in such act.

Justice Osiagor after listening to the submissions of both counsel sentenced her to five years imprisonment.

The judge, also ordered the convict to pay the sum of N100,000 as an option in lieu of the jail term, adding that all the exhibits recovered from the convict and tendered by the prosecution before the court be destroyed if there was no appeal against the judgment within the stipulated period by the law.

The charges against the lawyer read: “That you, Sulaimon Yetunde, female, adult of No. 28, Fehintola Giwa Street, Aguda – Surulere, Lagos State, on or about July 18, 2022 at Export Shed of National Handling Company Limited, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos, procured one Benjamin Joel to export 1.10 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to cocaine, LSD, heroin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 21 (2)(d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under 11 (b) of the same Act.

“That you, Sulaimon Yetunde, female, adult of No. 28, Fehintola Giwa Street, Aguda – Surulere, Lagos State on or about July 18, 2022 at Export Shed of National Handling Company Limited, a Customs Area/Point of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos without lawful

authority, exported 1.10 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to Cocaine, LSD, Heroin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”