The Federal High Court in Lagos convicted husband Mr. Ikechukwu Okafor and wife Ifeyinwa Okafor to two years in prison after finding them guilty of trafficking in 19.12 kilogramme of illicit methamphetamine, a drug.
Judge Nicholas Oweibo sentenced the couple, who reside in Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos State, to prison after they entered a guilty plea.
The pair was arraigned on five counts of conspiracy, unlawful dealing, and criminal possession of the prohibited substance, which were recommended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
The couple committed the offences on October 5, 2023, at their Ago-Palace Way home in Okota, Lagos, according to prosecutor Mr. A. G. Yaunyam.
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He informed the court that the crimes were against the NDLEA Act Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, sections 14, 19, and 11(c).
The prosecutor urged the court to sentence the couple in accordance with the provisions of the NDLEA Act they were charged with after the couple entered a guilty plea.
Benson Ndakara, their attorney, begged the judge to be kind to his clients and to balance justice and mercy when imposing their sentences.
Citing many authorities, Ndakara informed the court that his clients were first-time offenders without prior conviction histories.
Thus, he implored the court to grant his clients a fine or a non-custodian term.
As a result, the pair received a 24-month prison sentence from Judge Oweibo in his ruling.
However, the judge mandated that each of the convicted individuals pay N300 million as a fee for each of the charges, for a total of N1.5 million in fines.
