Court sentences couple to 20 years in prison for drug trafficking

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured the conviction of multiple drug traffickers across Nigeria, including a businessman and his wife, who were sentenced to a combined 22.5 years in prison for their roles in illegal drug operations.

NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, revealed in a statement on Tuesday that Johnson Uchenna and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, were sentenced by Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court 8 in Lagos on Monday.

The couple was arrested on June 13 by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the Ojo area of Lagos, along with 277.5kg of cannabis (skunk), and later handed over to the NDLEA. A follow-up operation on July 1 led to the discovery of an additional 231kg of the same substance at their residence and nearby storage, bringing the total haul to 414.2kg.

They were arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful possession, and dealing in cannabis. Justice Dipeolu sentenced Rosemary Uchenna to 17 years in prison without the option of a fine, while her husband received a five-year jail term for conspiracy and six months for unlawful storage, with an option of a ₦1 million fine.

Additionally, the judge ordered the forfeiture of ₦3.4 million recovered from the couple, believed to be proceeds of the drug trade, to the Federal Government.

In a separate case in Kano, a Federal High Court presided over by Justice Simon Amobeda convicted and sentenced a 42-year-old Indian national, Neetu Neetu, to 10 years in prison for trafficking 11kg of heroin concealed in chocolate wrappers.

The drugs were discovered in her luggage upon arrival at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on March 14 via Qatar Airways from Bangkok, through Vietnam and Doha. She was given an option of a ₦2 million fine.

Another foreign national, Angolan businessman Mbala Abuba, was sentenced to five years imprisonment by Justice Mohammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court in Kano after he was arrested on February 25 for ingesting 120 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.829kg.

He was caught while attempting to board an EgyptAir flight to Istanbul, Turkey.

Similarly, the Federal High Court in Enugu convicted a Nigerian man, Eze Ikenna, for trafficking 11.2kg of cocaine concealed in herbal tea sachets.

He was arrested on January 20, 2023, upon arrival from Brazil through Ethiopia. Justice M.G. Umar sentenced him to six years in prison on two counts, to run concurrently from May 20, 2023.

Reacting to the successful convictions, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the efforts of the agency’s commands and personnel involved in the investigations and prosecutions.