Ambrose Atakpagh, a 25-year-old, was sentenced to five years behind prison bars on Thursday, June 18, 2015 having been found guilty for unlawful possession of 800 grammes of marijuana
Atakpagh, who was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos, had earlier on Thursday, March 12, 2015 filed in that he was guilty as charged to a one count bordering on the office.
It had also been alleged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, that on Tuesday, November 11, 2014 Mr. Ambrose Atakpagh was waylaid with the contraband at Iyayi Express, Lagos State.
The NDLEA prosecution counsel, Mr. Orji Kalu on Thursday, June 18, 2015 reviewed the evidence of the case and tendered various exhibits to substantiate the drug agency’s claim to the conviction of Atakpagh.
Barrister Kalu vehemently stated the the court pronounce Atakpagh guilty and accord him the accrued sanction in accordance with the law.
“My lord, in view of the guilty plea of the accused and all the exhibits tendered by the prosecution in this matter, we pray the court to convict the accused as charged having regards to Section 218 and 285 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act.
“Again, the confessional statement of the accusied is positive, direct and unequivocal in admitting the offence,” said Barrister Orji Kalu.
Justice C. J. Aneke, the trial’s judge, who had lisened keenly to Kalu’s plea, accordingly convicted Mr. Atakpagh.
While pronouncing his verdict, Justice Aneke expressed surprise that the lawyer for the accused rjected making any allocutus on his behalf.
However, Aneke stated that he was inclined to temper judgement with mercy, due to the fact that the convic had prmptly pleaded that he was guilty of the crime and did not waste the judicial time given to the court and tax payers’ money.
The Judge said, “I am surprised that in spite of the fact that the accused person is represented by a counsel, his counsel cannot even make an allocutus for him and this is a strange practice for me.”
Atakpagh was sentenced to five years in prison for contravening Section 11(6) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004..
