A Federal High Court, sitting in Jos, on Thursday, sentenced a 26- year-old man, Awos Arin, to nine years imprisonment for unlawful possession of hard drugs.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Prosecuting Counsel, Mrs Ramatu Oketola, said the convict, of Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau, was arrested on June 6 by officials of the agency.
Oketola said that Arin was being tried on a three-count of unlawful possession of hard drugs including 200g of Cannabis, 49.3g of Tramadol and 8g of Exol-5, similar to cocaine and narcotic.
“My lord, the suspect’s offences contravened Section 19 of NDLEA Act, Cap. N30 Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004 (as amended), ’’ she said.
When the charges were read to the suspect, he pleaded guilty and begged for leniency.
Oketola, however, told the court that the suspect was a second offender, having been jailed for one month on February 13 by the Federal High Court I.
The judge, Justice Musa Kurya, however, sentenced Arin to three years imprisonment for each of the three charges without an option of fine.
“The sentences of three years for each of the three-count charge will run consecutively totalling nine years in all, without any option of fine.
“This is to serve as a deterrent to others, considering your age and your determination to be a notorious criminal, ’’ the judge said.
Kurya ordered the hard drugs tendered as exhibits to be burnt by the NDLEA after 30 days of the court’s judgment.
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