A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday convicted and sentenced a Beninese national, Hounsou Chegoun, to two years’ imprisonment for drug trafficking.

 Chegoun was convicted after pleading guilty to a three-count charge of unlawful importation and illegal possession of banned narcotics.

 The prosecutor for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Chidinma Izuagba, presented the charges to the court.

 The charge was read in court, and the defendant pleaded guilty to all three counts.

 Following his plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts and tendered documents and the seized marijuana as evidence.

She then urged the court to convict the defendant in line with the charges.

 Justice Musa Kakaki convicted the defendant after examining the evidence presented before the court.

 Meanwhile, defence counsel, Godwin Okaka, pleaded for mercy on behalf of the convict.

 He urged the court to show leniency, noting the convict was a first-time offender with no criminal record.

In delivering judgment, Justice Kakaki said the court could not ignore the harm caused by hard drugs to Nigerian youths.

 The judge also noted the damage such drugs cause to the nation’s image and the risks posed by their circulation.

 Consequently, the court sentenced the convict to two years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine.

 According to the charge, the convict committed the offence on December 24, 2024.

He was found with 1,950kg of cannabis and had aided in its importation into Nigeria.

The offence contravenes sections 11(a), 14, and 19 of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

(NAN)