Man with speech, hearing impediments jailed for trafficking

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday sentenced Aliu Sanni, a 32-year-old man with hearing and speech impairment, to three years imprisonment for trafficking in cocaine.

Sanni, who was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on May 19, 2014, pleaded guilty to dealing on 17.8kg of banned drug.

Justice Mohammed Idris had ordered his remandment of the man at the Ikoyi Prisons, and adjourned the case for review of the facts and sentencing.

In his judgment, Idris held that the sentence should take effect from March 26, 2014, when convict was arrest.

“The convict was completely aware of his commercial activities in the restricted drug; so, he must be punished,” he said.
“The sentence of the convict shall serve as a warning signal to other drug traffickers.”

Mr. Kalu Orji, the prosecutor, told the court that the convict was arrested at the Young Shall Grow Motor Park at Iddo, Lagos,
while intending to export it.

He said that the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.