Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a businessman, Ebenezer Arokodare, to seven years in prison for trafficking 32.24 kg of “loud,” a potent strain of cannabis sativa, commonly known as marijuana.
Justice Aluko handed down the verdict after Arokodare, the owner of Damillionz Takeout located in Lekki, Lagos, pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of unlawful importation and dealing in the prohibited drug brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Before the judge passed the sentence, the NDLEA prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, informed the court that Arokodare was arrested on March 10, 2025, at the FedEx import warehouse in the NAHCO Import Shed, a customs area of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.
Ibrahim also told the judge that the convict was apprehended while attempting to receive 31.30 kg of the drug that he had unlawfully imported from the United States of America.
The lawyer further stated that on March 24, 2025, at Flat 7, D11, Lekki Gardens, Horizon 11 Meadow Hall, Ikate-Elegunshi, Lagos State, Ebenezer unlawfully dealt in 94 grams of the same drug.
He maintained that the offence violated sections 20 (1)(a) and 11 (c) and is punishable under section 20 (2)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Based on his guilty plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the case, presented evidence, and urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant under the relevant sections of the NDLEA Act.
However, the defence lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara, made a passionate plea for leniency on behalf of his client.
Ndakara argued that his client was a “victim of circumstances,” as evidenced by his statement, urging the court to show mercy.
The lawyer also claimed that the convict was a single father to an 8-year-old son and urged for a non-custodial sentence.
“We ask the court to temper justice with mercy,” he said.
Justice Aluko, after confirming with the prosecutor that Ebenezer had no prior convictions and citing several authorities, sentenced him to six years for the first count and 12 months for the second count.
The judge also awarded an acceptable option of 2 million naira for both counts but ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
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