Ex-Convicted Drug Dealer Sentenced Again For Smuggling Drug To UK

Lagos, Nigeria – A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced again a convicted drug dealer with two years imprisonment for commiting related drug offence.

Igwe Okoye Onwukwe, was sentenced for smuggling 32.400 kilo­grammes of Cannabis Sativa popularly called marijuana to the United kingdom (UK).

Onwukwe, who claimed to be a clearing agent, was in November 2020, convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment, by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the same division of the court, for smuggling 1. 64 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa.

He was however given an option of fine of N500, 000. Not quite long after he was released from prison after pay­ing the fine option, he was again rearrested on October 15, 2021, by the operatives of the Na­tional Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for attempt­ing to export 34.400 kilograms of the banned substance.

Following his arrest, he was brought before Justice Peter Lifu on a three count-charge of conspiracy, unlawful ex­portation of the banned weed and procuring one Ikechukwu Kelvin to unlawfully export the same banned weed.

It was established at the court by the prosecutor – Mr. Abu Ibrahim that the convict con­spired with the duo of Ezeugo’ and one ‘James Darren’ of Peckham, United kingdom, (both now at large), to engage in the illicit act.

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Abu also told the court that the convict procured one Ike­chukwu Kelvin, on October 20, 2021, to illegally export 15.850 kilograms of the banned weed.

The convict had denied the allegations when he was first arraigned before the court sometime in November 2021.

But midway into his trial, the convict changed his plea and admitted committing the nefarious acts.

In his allucutor, the convict told the court that, as a clearing agent, though not a registered one, he was deceived by his cli­ents who are the owners of the prohibited cargoes.

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His counsel, Adebayo On­ifade, also pleaded with the court to be merciful to his client in sentencing him, because of his five children, wife and aged mother.

The claims were rebuffed by the prosecutor, who told the court that the convict is one of the specialized cleaning agents that are drug barons to smug­gle drugs.

Justice Lifu, after hearing parties of their submissions, dismissed the convict’s plead­ing and the allucutor made by his counsel.