Aloysius Egbutiegbo, a businessman has been sentenced to a 15-year jail term for trying to export 19.80 kilograms of Cannabis Stativa by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State presided over by Justice Mohammed Idris.
DAILY POST reports that he was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos State on June 12, 2015 by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), while he was trying to travel with the drugs to China. Egbutiegbo was charged on a one count charge of unauthorized and unlawful dealing in hard drugs.
Egbutiegbo had earlier denied the charge and pleaded not guilty to the charge, he was granted bail but was unable to meet the terms of bail before he pleaded guilty and was eventually convicted.
He was sentenced by Justice Idris on Monday, July 6, 2015 after his guilty plea. Counsel for the defence pleaded with the court for leniency stating that the convicted man was a father to five children and a first time offender.
Justice Idris while delivering judgement said: “I show no mercy for people who deliberately join in tarnishing the image of the country, who import and export hard drugs in and outside the country.
“You and others like you have destroyed the society you live. You have destroyed innocent children. The law will catch you one after the other.”