A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday sentenced a 37-year-old man, Samuel Bitrus, to 18 months imprisonment for drug trafficking.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency arraigned Bitrus on June 27 before Justice Yelin Bogoro on a four-count charge of exporting 42.2kg of cannabis sativa to the United Kingdom.

Bitrus pleaded guilty to the charge.

The court consequently reviewed the facts of the case, with the NDLEA counsel, Juliana Iroabuchi, tendering 36 exhibits to support prosecution’s case.

There was no objection from defence.

The court then adjourned the case until July 11 (Friday)for judgment.

On Friday, the court convicted Bitrus and sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment without an option of fine, on count one.

The court also sentenced Bitrus to one-year jail term on count two but gave him an option of N250,000 fine.

The court also sentenced him to one-year imprisonment on count three, with an option of N250,000 fine.

It sentenced the convict to one-year imprisonment on count four, equally with an option of 250,000 fine.

The court also ordered that the convict should carry out community services for one-month after completing the terms of imprisonment.

According to the NDLEA, Bitrus committed the offences on February 20 at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport during the examination of cargo bound for the United Kingdom.

NDLEA stated that the convict conspired with one boat pilot identified simply as James and one Richard Okechukwu, who resides in the UK, to export the illicit substance.

It said that the convict concealed the drug in a false bottom of crated cartons made of wood.

The offences contravene Sections 1(b), 11(d) and 14(b) of the NDLEA Act of 2004.

(NAN)