Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, has convicted and sentenced a man, Akajiobi Francis, to four years imprisonment, for trafficking in 1.20 kilograms of cocaine.

The court handed down the jail term, after the Defendant pleaded guilty to a one count charge of trafficking in a prohibited drug, made against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), after his arraignment before the court.

The Prosecutor, Mr Abu Ibrahim, had told the court that the Defendant was arrested with prohibited drugs at the Departure Hall of the new Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Ikeja, Lagos, during the outward clearance of passengers of Royal Air Maroc to Valencia, Spain.

The Defendant was said to have concealed the prohibited drug, inside his footwear.

Abu had told the court that the unlawful act of the Defendant contravened Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and is punishable under the same Act.

The Defendant had pleaded guilty to the charge, when it was read to him. Based on his plea, the court ordered the Prosecutor to review the facts of the case. Upon reviewing the facts of the case and tendering of exhibits, the Prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence the Defendant, based on his plea and the exhibits tendered.

But, Counsel to the Defendant, Chief Benson Ndakara, in his allocutus, begged the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his client, for being a first-time offender and not wasting the court's time.

Based on the allocutus and confirmation from the Prosecutor that the Defendant was a first-time offender, Justice Lewis-Allagoa ordered the Defendant to pay a fine option of N2 million instead of the jail term.

The charge against the Defendant read: "That you, Akajiobi Francis, adult, male, on or about the 25th July, 2024, at the Departure Hall of the new Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Ikeja, Lagos during the outward clearance of passengers of Royal Air Maroc to Valencia, Spain, without lawful authority Exported 1.20 kilograms of Cocaine, a Narcotic Drug and you thereby, committed an act which is 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".