A man, Mr. Okafor Ikechukwu Mcwilliams, and his wife, Okafor Ifeyinwa Grace, on Wednesday were, convicted and sentenced to 24 months, for unlawful dealing in 19.12 kilograms of Methamphetamine, a prohibited drug, by a Lagos Federal High Court.
The couple, who resides at 9, Awa Street (your residence), Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos State, were given the jail term by Justice Nicholas Oweibo, after they pleaded guilty to a five count-charge of conspiracy, unlawful dealing, and unlawful possession of the banned drug.
The couple were arraigned before the court by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA on the charges.
The convicted couple according to the prosecutor, Mr. A. G. Yaunyam, engaged in the crimes on October 5, 2023, the their residence, 9, Away Street, Ago-Palace Way, Okota, Lagos.
He told the court that the couple’s crimes contravened sections 14 , 19 and 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended). And punishable under the same Act.
The convicted couple admitted committing the crimes and pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following the couple’s guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to sentence them in accordance with the sections of the NDLEA Act they were charged with.
However, their lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara, pleaded with the court to be lenient with his clients and to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing them.
Ndakara while citing plethoras of authorities, told the court his clients are first time convicts, who did not have previous conviction record. He therefore urged the court to give his clients them non-custodian sentence or a fine option.
Justice Oweibo, in his judgment, sentenced the couple to 24 months imprisonment.
The judge however ordered each of the convicts to pay the sum of N300,000,000 as fine option on each of the counts, totaling N1.5 million each.
Count One and five against the convicts read: “that you Okafor Ikechukwu Mcwilliams, Adult, Male, Nigerian citizen and you Okafor Ifeyinwa Grace, Adult, Female, Nigerian citizen, on or about 5 day of October 2023, at Number 9 Awa Street (your residence), ago Palace way, Okota, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority, conspired to possess 19.12 kilograms of Methamphetamine (Mpurummiri), a substance similar to COCAINE, HEROIN and LSD, and both of you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended).
That you Okafor Ikechukwu Mcwilliams, Adult, male, Nigerian citizen and you OkaforIfeyinwaGrace, Adult, Female, Nigerian citizen, on or about 5th day of October 2023, at Number 9 Awa Street (your residence), Ago Palace way, Okota, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority, dealt in 19.12 kilograms of Methamphetamine (Mpurummiri), a substance similar to Cocaine, Heroin and LSD, and both of you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended).”
