A Federal High Court, Ibadan Division, Oyo State, has handed down one-year prison in the Agodi correctional facility to 35-year-old Idowu Ojewale for peddling 125 grams of cannabis sativa.

The convict was brought before Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

Delivering judgment, Ms Maha convicted and sentenced Ojewale after he pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of unlawful dealing in narcotic.

She warned the convict that the court would not hesitate to impose stiffer punishment against him if after completing his jail term, he returned to the illicit trade

Ms Maha held, “I hope that the sentence would serve as a positive transformation on Ojewale in becoming a changed person in society. Besides, he is a first-time offender and had not wasted the precious time of the court before pleading guilty. However, to serve as a deterrent to others, he is sentenced to one year imprisonment, to spend nine months in Agodi correctional facility. In addition, Ojewale shall spend the rest of the sentence going for counselling at the NDLEA office once in a week.’’

She ordered the agency to destroy the cannabis found in the convict’s possession.

Shortly before the judgment, the Defense counsel, Musbau Olapade, prayed the court to be lenient in punishing his client.

According to him, Ojewale was a victim of negative friends’ influence.

Mr Olapade further told the court that the convict was remorseful and promised to turn a new leaf.

The NDLEA counsel, Daniel Otunla, had earlier told the court that the convict committed the crime on April 17, at Koso-Oje market in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Mr Otunla also said that NDLEA operatives arrested Ojewale in possession of a sack, in which was concealed 125g of the illicit substance, after receiving intelligence reports from informants that he was into drug dealing.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provision of section 11 (C ) of the NDLEA Act Cap n30 law of the federation 2004.

The Act prescribes a maximum of life imprisonment for anyone convicted of the offence.

(NA)