A 30-yeal old notorious cannabis dealer, Mr. Afiz Isah, has been sentenced twice in a difference two days.
At the Federal High Court, Ikoyi Lagos on Thursday, the convict also called ‘Agama’, a resident of Iketuga Street, Meiran, Lagos, was first sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for dealing in 29kg of dried weeds that tested positive for Cannabis by Justice C. J. Aneke on Monday June 15th, 2015.
Then, on Wednesday June 17th, 2015, two days after, his case was revisited before Justice Okon Abang over unlawful dealing in 3.9kg of Cannabis and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
Collectively, Isah has been sentenced for eight and half years.
Mr. Jeremiah Aernan, NDLEA Prosecutor, told the court that the accused was not a first offender given that he was sentenced two days previous by another court for dealing in Cannabis.
Aernan said: “We confirmed that Afiz sold cannabis to a female drug trafficker, Toyin Raimi, before police apprehended him at Atubaje Street Agege, Lagos and transferred him to NDLEA.
Isah eventually pleaded guilty and begged for forgiveness, saying: “I want the court to forgive and have mercy on me. I am married with children and I want to be with my family. I have made up my mind not to sell Cannabis again. If you forgive me I will go back to my village in Kwara State to farm.”
Justice Abang, not impressed with Isah’s appeal, giving his ruling said that the convict did not deserve mercy.
He said: “I have gone through the facts of the case and it was clear that the accused distributed Cannabis to some dealers within the state. I will therefore put an end to his menace and save the society from further damage resulting from his criminal activities. He is hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment.
The NDLEA said its preliminary investigation had indicated that a female drug trafficker by name Toyin Raimi was arrested with 29kg of Cannabis by the agency officials in Lagos, during which she indicted one Afiz Isah as her supplier.
About the same period, police had transferred the case of Afiz Isah with 3.9kg of Cannabis to the Agency. He was later nabbed and eventually charged separately for supplying Toyin Cannabis as well as having 3.9kg of the substance in his possession.
Also, Chairman/Chief Executive, NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, affirmed that punishment for drug traffickers would be commensurate with the offence. He said: “It is important for drug traffickers to be taken out of circulation for a reasonable time to discourage others who may be tempted to smuggle drugs.”