A Lagos-based couple, Ajah Johnson Uchenna and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, have been sentenced to a combined 22 and a half years in prison for drug trafficking offences, while the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured the final forfeiture of a multi-billion….CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
A Lagos-based couple, Ajah Johnson Uchenna and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, have been sentenced to a combined 22 and a half years in prison for drug trafficking offences, while the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured the final forfeiture of a multi-billion naira hotel in Victoria Island used for illicit drug distribution.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, convicted the couple on Monday, 4 August, following their arrest in June with 277.5kg of cannabis.
A further raid at their home on 1 July led to the discovery of an additional 231kg of the same substance.
The couple were arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, dealing, and storage of 414.2kg of cannabis.
Mrs Rosemary Uchenna was sentenced to 17 years without an option of fine, while her husband received five years for conspiracy and six months with a ₦1 million fine option for unlawful storage.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of ₦3.4 million recovered from the couple as proceeds of crime.
In separate convictions, a Federal High Court in Kano sentenced 42-year-old Indian national, Neetu Neetu, to 10 years imprisonment with a ₦2 million fine option for importing 11kg of heroin disguised as chocolate into Nigeria via the Kano airport.
Also in Kano, Justice Mohammed Yunusa sentenced Angolan businessman Mbala Dajou Abuba to five years in prison for ingesting 120 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.8kg in an attempt to board a flight to Turkey.
In Enugu, Justice M.G. Umar sentenced Eze Christian Ikenna to six years’ imprisonment for trafficking 11.2kg of cocaine concealed in herbal tea sachets. The sentence will run concurrently from 20 May 2023.
In a major breakthrough, the NDLEA secured a court order for the final forfeiture of an 80-room hotel and lounge in Victoria Island, Lagos, used by a drug cartel as a distribution base.
The raid, conducted on 25–26 April, uncovered 589 bags of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 417.3kg and valued at over ₦1.04 billion.
The forfeited property, located at No. 16 Waziri Ibrahim Street, also includes 10 vehicles—among them a Land Cruiser Prado, Dodge Grand Caravan, Mercedes Benz truck, and several minivans—along with 84 television sets, 70 air conditioners, and 13 new refrigerators
Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala granted the forfeiture order on 18 July following a motion filed by the NDLEA.
Reacting to the judgements, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the efforts of NDLEA officers and the judiciary for delivering swift and deterrent rulings.
“Nothing serves the cause of justice more than when criminal elements are given long jail terms and made to forfeit assets acquired through drug trafficking,” Marwa said….CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
