Blind marijuana peddler jailed five years

A 21-year-old man, Nura Abdullahi, has been sentenced to a jail term of five years for unlawfully dealing in 62 kilogrammes of marijuana.

Abdullahi, who was convicted and sentenced on Wednesday, was said to have become visually-impaired in prison, where he was awaiting trial since his arrest on March 19, 2013.

His conviction on Wednesday by Justice Mohammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court in Lagos was on the strength of his confessional statement and the exhibits tendered by the prosecution.

Abdullahi, who was re-arraigned on September 3, 2015 on one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, had promptly pleaded guilty to the offence.

At the Wednesday’s proceedings, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s prosecutor, J.I. Aernan, reviewed the facts of the case.

To further prove the prosecution’s claims, Aernan, who held the brief of M.U. Ewah, tendered the bulk of the illicit substance recovered from the convict two years ago.

He said the offence contravened Section 11 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30, Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Yunusa said he was convinced that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

He sentenced Abdullahi to a prison term of five years from his day of arrest.