Court Jails Pakistani 10yrs For Importing 13 Kilograms Of Heroines Into Nigeria

Court Jails Pakistani 10yrs For Importing 13 Kilograms Of Heroines Into Nigeria

Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a 35 year-old Pakistani, Bukhari Syed Waseem Ahmed, to ten years imprisonment, for importing 13 kilograms of Heroines into Nigeria.

Justice Tsoho handed down the verdict after he convicted Ahmed on an amended two count charges of conspiracy and unlawful importation of narcotics brought against him by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The convict, who was arrested by operatives of the NDLEA on February 10, 2012, at the Murtala International Airport, Lagos, on his arrival from Pakistan, conspired with one Benjamin Okereke and Chukwudi Okereke, both now at large, to import the banned substance into the country.

According to the agency the convict was arrested during inward clearance of Qatar Airline flight from Pakistan, at the Airport in Lagos.

The offences according to the prosecutor, Augustine Nwagu, an Assistant Director of Prosecution, NDLEA, contravened Section 14 (b) and11 (a) of the NDLEA Act, Cap. 30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

After the conviction, Ahmed's lawyer, Victor Abana, in his allucutor, urged the court to tamper justice with mercy, as the convict was a foreigner, a first time offender, and father of three.

Abana also pleaded that if not given a reformatory sentence, the convict's three children would suffer greatly.

The lawyer further informed the court that since the convict was arrest on February 10, 2012, he had since been in prisons custody, and abandoned by the people he was doing business with.

He also claimed that while in the custody, the convict had converted to Christianity, and he is now a worker in the prisons' ministry.

Abana therefore pleaded with court to tamper justice with mercy and give the convict a reformatory sentence.

But Justice Tsoho in his judgment noted that Ahmed had in his confessional statement, stated that he was arrested on his third trip to Nigeria on the elicit business.

The further noted that if he had not being arrested, he would have carried on with the illegal business, which is at the detriment of Nigerians and the sovereignty of the country.

Consequently, the judge sentenced the Pakistani to 10 years imprisonment which according to him will run from the date he was arrested.

The court also ordered that the seized drug be destroyed if no appeal was filed against the judgment within 90 days

In a similar development, the anti-narcotic agency, NDLEA, on Tuesday, arraigned a businessman, John Obi, before the same court for attempting to unlawfully export 21. 695 kilograms of methamphetamine to South Africa.

The accused, according to the prosecutor, Abu Ibrahim, was arrested with the banned substance on November 16, 2014, during the outward clearing of Arik Airline flight to South Africa.

Abu said the offence contravened section 11(b) of NDLEA act Cap. 30 laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Following the plea of the accused, his lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara urged the court to grant him bail in the most liberal term. Though, the prosecutor raised objection to the bail application, but Justice Tsoho overruled the prosecution's objection.

The court however admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N2 million, with one surety in like sum.

The surety according to the judge must be a resident of Lagos state, and that both the accused and surety must depose to affidavit.

Justice Tsoho however ordered that the accused be remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons, pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.