In a recent court verdict, a 51-year-old widow, Adewunmi Taiwo, faced a six-month imprisonment sentence for her attempt to export 5.70 kg of Codeine to the United Kingdom. The Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Akintayo Aluko, delivered the verdict on August 22, 2023, after Taiwo pleaded guilty to unlawfully exporting Codeine, as charged by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The incident occurred on July 27, 2023, at the Skyway Handling Company export shed, a customs point at Muritala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State. The conviction was based on a violation of Section 11(b) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. Taiwo’s counsel, Benson Ndakara, appealed for leniency, highlighting her widowhood and first-time offender status. Consequently, Justice Aluko sentenced her to six months imprisonment or an alternative fine of N300,000.
In a separate case, the same judge sentenced a 37-year-old musician, Femi Saka, to one year in prison for involvement in drug-related activities. Saka pleaded guilty to three counts, including the possession of Cannabis Sativa, Methamphetamine, and Molly, all committed on July 11, 2023. The prosecution counsel, M. I. Erondu, presented the case, and Saka’s counsel, O. Jakovo, appealed for a non-custodial sentence. In the end, Justice Aluko imposed a 12-month imprisonment term with an option of N200,000 fine for each of the three counts, resulting in a total fine of N600,000.