…Remanded In Old People’s Home
A Federal High Court, Lagos presided over by Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari today, convicted and sentence an 87 year-old woman, Agbomabiwon Maria Seriki, for dealing in 10.3 kilogrammes of marijuana otherwise known as Cannabis Sativa.
Justice Rabiu-Shagari however, ordered that the convict should be remanded at the Lagos State’s Old People’s Home, Yaba, pending when any member of her family, who is willing and able to take proper care of her, apply to court to take her custody.
The convict, a resident of 9, Osunba Street, Oto-Awori, Ijanikin, Lagos, had last week Tuesday, pleaded guilty to one count charge of unlawful dealing in 10.3 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic similar to cocaine, heroine and LSD, when she was arraigned before the court, by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Upon her plea of guilty, the prosecutor, Aliyu Abubakar, had urged the court to adjourn the matter till today, for review of fact of the case.
At the resumed hearing of the matter today, the prosecutor after reviewing the fact of the case, tendered some exhibits which includes the convict’s confessional statements, drug test analysis and the bulk of the Cannabis Sativa seized from her, which were admitted as exhibits by the court.
After the admisibility of the exhibits, the court pronounced the 87 years old woman, convicted as charged.
However, the convict’s lawyer, Prosper Ojakovo, in his alucutor, pleaded with the court to be lenient in sentencing his client.
Ojakovo told the court that the accused was a first time offender, who has nobody to take care of her. He pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy and consider her age in sentencing her.
In sentencing the convict, Justice Rabiu-Shagari stated that sending her to prison will not be of any benefits, especially when her age is considered.
The judge, consequently ordered that the convict be remanded at the Lagos State’s Old People’s Home, Yaba, pending when any member of her family who is willing and able to take proper care of her apply to court for such.
In the same vain, Justice Rabiu-Shagari also sentenced a 56 years old woman, Anya Nneoma, to 12 months imprisonment, for unlawful dealing in 5.5 kilograms.
Anya, a resident of Vulcaniser area of Seme, Badagry, also pleaded guilty before the court, last Tuesday, for illegal dealing in five kilograms of the same substance (marijuana).
She was however unlucky, as the judge sentenced her to the female section of Kirikiri prisons for the next 12 calendar months.
Both convicts offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under sections 11(c) of NDLEA cap. N30, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.
