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LequteMan
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Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court, Lagos, on Friday sentenced a 31-year-old warder, Frank Obi, to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
Obi had previously pleaded guilty to a one count of supplying restricted narcotics to inmates of Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Lagos.
“Following the guilty plea entered by the accused, he is hereby convicted as charged, and accordingly, sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment without an option of fine.
“It is indeed very shameful that a prison official who knows the values of the prison system, and ought to be a custodian of the law is now the perpetrator of crime,’’ Buba said.
The judge said the sentence should take effect from May 6 when the convict was arrested, and that he should serve the sentence at Ikoyi Prison, Lagos.
The convict was arraigned on Oct. 9 on a one count of illicit drug deal. He pleaded guilty to the charge and the case was adjourned for a review of facts and sentencing.
The prosecutor, Mr Kalu Orji, told the court that the convict committed the offence on May 6 at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, Lagos.
He said the convict, who worked as a warder, was apprehended by the prison authorities for sneaking in about 3.8 kilogrammes of Indian hemp (Cannabis Sativa) for some inmates.
Orji said the convict concealed the narcotic in an Indomie carton to avoid suspicion, adding that he had been collecting money from inmates in exchange for drug.
He added that after investigations, the convict was handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for prosecution. (NAN)