Man jailed in Ekiti for possession of Indian hemp

 

A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday slammed a one-year prison sentence on one Michael Joel for illegal possession of Cannabis sativa otherwise known as Indian hemp.

Joel, 25, was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after he was arrested on September 15 at Atikankan area of Ado Ekiti, a notorious hideout for sale and abuse of hard drugs.

NDLEA Prosecutor, Collins Ugwuja, told the court that the accused was caught with 500 grammes of cannabis Sativa at the point of arrest.

According to him, the offence contravened Section 11 (a) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30 Laws of Federation of Nigeria. 2004.

The accused who made a confessional statement during his trial at the court urged the court to tamper justice with mercy.

Defence counsel, Segun Fowowe, also prayed the court to grant tamper justice with his client, promising that he would turn a new leaf.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo in his judgment decried the way and manner youths with intellectual ability partake in an illicit drug which could affect their brain.

He consequently sentenced the accused to one-year imprisonment without any option of fine saying this would serve as a deterrent to others in the habit of taking a hard drug.