There was mild drama at a
Yenagoa High Court as a female counsel wept profusely over a 26 year old drug peddler who was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment with hard labour.
The convict, Peter Okoh, was accused by the prosecution of illegal possessing of two kilogrammes of Canabis Sativa popularly known as Indian Hemp.
Okoh, an indigene of Delta State, who had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge later pleaded guilty. He however, attracted the sympathy of the female lawyers, when the minimum punishment for his offence was put at 15 years.
The presiding Judge, Justice I.E.Ekwo,who was not moved by the tears from the female lawyers and the accused, gave the proceeding an accelerated hearing into the matter with the officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) prosecuting.
A witness A. Edwin told the court that the convict was arrested on the 26th of February,2014 by two operatives of the Agency identified as Ebitah Courage and Wellington Emmanuel.
According to him, the convict was caught with weeds suspected to be Canabis Sativa, a test was carried out in line with the United Nation test kits. and the result proved positive.”
The NDLEA witness however presented to the court exhibits identified as Certificate of Test Analysis,the Backing of substance, Result from scientific aid and result from forensic text from a Laboratory in Lagos.
The Counsel to the accused,Miss Chika EbereChukwu, pleaded with the Court that her client,who is a first offender and have stayed in custody for the last Five months, should be treated with leniency,”Your Lordship should please consider the time in detention.”
Justice Ekwo, before delivering his judgement asked the accused whether he knew the consequences of his offence and the trauma his aged parents are passing while he was in detention.
“Do you know that if I apply the minimum sentence of 15 years, how old do you think you would be when you come out”.
While Justice Ekwo went into long counsel how to be a good citizen, the convict was busy crying for mercy.
Justice Ekwo however, said that in view of the facts that the accused had been confirms as first offender, “his guilty plea and the fact that he accused did not challenge the evidences, both Oral and print, provided by the NDLEA,I hereby sentence the accused to 2years and 6months.”
