Man sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for drug trafficking

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, has sentenced and convicted a 35-year-old Cote d’Ivoire-based Nigerian, Grou Bi Clauvis, also known as Umeme Fabian Lotachukwu to 10 years imprisonment for unlawful dealing in 1.205 kilograms of methamphetamine, a prohibited drug. NDLEA officials had on March 27th this year apprehended Lotachukwu at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State, during outward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight to Doha, Qatar, with 1.205 kilograms of methamphetamine, a psychotropic substance.

At the hearing of the case on Monday, the prosecutor, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, told the court how the convict was arrested with an Ivory Coast international passport with the said substance and $400 United State Dollars. Delivering his ruling, Justice Olatoregun said

“I have taken into consideration that the convict is a first time offender, and also a young man. I am mindful of Section 11 of the NDLEA Act,which is mandatory, but am going to vary it. It is of the public knowledge that the prison is full,  and he is a young man. The convict is hereby sentence to 10 years jail term or option of N10 million”.

Justice Olatoregun also ordered the NDLEA to forfeit the Ivory Coast international passport to the government of Ivory Cost. While also ordered NDLEA to forfeit the sum of $400 USD, found in his possession to the Federal government of Nigeria, and that the money should be paid into the federal government account with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).