Woman bags 5-month jail term for possession of Indian Hemp

anwar danjaji

March 7, 2017 2:48 PM

Mother of four sentenced to five months in prison for unlawful possession of Indian hemp

Two suspects arrested with 462kg of Indian Hemp.

The Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Tuesday sentenced, Lateefat Yekini, a mother of four to five months in prison for unlawful possession of 4.7kg of Indian Hemp.

Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel, in his judgment, convicted Yekini based on the evidence before the court and his plea of guilty

“Though, the punishment for the offence is long years in prison, but I will consider the plea for leniency by a lawyer in the court.

“Yekini is hereby, sentenced to five months in prison from the day of her arrest,” the Judge said.

Earlier, Mr Musbaudeen Olapade, who took interest in Yekini’s case just before the judgment was delivered pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing her.

Olapade said that the convict was a divorcee and an impoverished mother of four whose children might suffer more hardship if sentenced to many years in prison.

Mr Raphael Himinkaiye, counsel to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Oyo State had told the court that the convict was arraigned on a one-count charge of unlawful accommodation of Indian Hemp.

Himinkaiye added that Yekini committed the crime on Feb. 3, at Omi-adio Area of Ibadan.

He said the agency was on the trail of a drug baron, one Adewale now at large who stayed on the accommodation provided by Yekini, when the discovery of 4.7 kg of Indian Hemp was made.

Himinkaiye said the offence contravened Section 12 of the NDLEA Act Cap N30 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

anwar danjaji