Drug trafficker jailed for 3 years collapses in court
Mild drama ensued at the Federal High Court in Benin City as a 34-year-old drug trafficker, Tope Ayanwale, collapsed shortly after the court pronounced her sentence. The court, presided over by Justice Chuka Obiozor, last Thursday, sentenced Ayanwale to three years’ imprisonment with an option of a N10 million fine. Daily Trust reports that the […]
Mild drama ensued at the Federal High Court in Benin City as a 34-year-old drug trafficker, Tope Ayanwale, collapsed shortly after the court pronounced her sentence.
The court, presided over by Justice Chuka Obiozor, last Thursday, sentenced Ayanwale to three years’ imprisonment with an option of a N10 million fine.
Daily Trust reports that the court also sentenced two others, Etinosa Bazuaye and Godfrey Osabuohien, to 15 years’ imprisonment each, with fine options of N6 million and N3 million, respectively.
The convicts were arraigned by the Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for the unlawful possession of various quantities of illicit drugs.
Ayanwale was found guilty of possessing 1.272kg of cannabis sativa, 2.1g of methamphetamine, and 176g of tramadol. Upon hearing her sentence, she collapsed in the courtroom.
She was immediately stabilized after receiving medical attention and was subsequently taken into custody by correctional officials.
In a separate judgment, Justice Obiozor found Bazuaye and Osabuohien guilty of the unlawful possession of 13g of cocaine and 15kg of cannabis.
Reacting to the convictions, the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, Dr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, said the judgments aligned with the renewed vigour of the agency under the leadership of Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd).
“The conviction of Tope Ayanwale sends an unequivocal message: Edo State is a hostile territory for drug traffickers and barons,” Ofoyeju stated, adding that the agency remains committed to dismantling drug networks and prosecuting offenders to the full extent of the law.