Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Monday sentenced a man, Fasasi Olawore, to 30 years’ imprisonment for cultivating 0.28 hectre of hemp and possessing 57.7kg of the substance.
Mr Abdulmaleek convicted and sentenced Olawore based on evidence before the court and his guilty plea.
“The issue of drug trafficking in the society is fast becoming an embarrassment; if nothing tangible is done about it, Nigeria will be consumed.
“To curtail the menace, therefore, Olawore is sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for each of the two offences.
“The sentences are to run concurrently, and all the substances found with the convict are to be destroyed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA,” the judge held.
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Earlier, counsel to the NDLEA, Raphael Himinkaiye, informed the court that Olawore was charged with unlawful cultivation of hemp and illegal deal on 57.7kg of the banned substance.
He submitted that Olawore was arrested on July 2 in Ibadan, following a tipoff from concerned members of the public.
The prosecution told the court that Olawore planted 0.28 hectre of Indian Hemp.
He added that he possessed another 57.7kg of the illicit substance.
He said that the offences contravened Sections 11(A) and (C) of the NDLEA Act, 2004.
NAN
