By Olayiwola Mercy
A court in Nigeria has sentenced an India-bound make-up artist to three years in prison for attempting to smuggle 445 grams of heroin. The convict, identified as Oluwaseun, was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while trying to board a flight to India.
The court found Oluwaseun guilty of unlawfully exporting a narcotic drug, contrary to Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The judge, Justice Ibrahim Musa, sentenced Oluwaseun to three years imprisonment, with an option of paying a fine of N3 million.
The prosecution had presented evidence that Oluwaseun was found with 445 grams of heroin, with an estimated street value of N4.5 million, concealed in two black polythene bags in her luggage. Oluwaseun had pleaded guilty to the charge, prompting the court to convict her and ask her lawyer to present a plea for leniency.
The defence counsel, Patrick Nwafor, had prayed to the court to consider Oluwaseun’s guilty plea and her willingness to reform, and to impose a fine instead of a custodial sentence. The prosecution, led by Stanley Olatunbosun, did not oppose the plea, citing Oluwaseun’s clean record and lack of previous convictions.
Justice Musa ultimately decided to give Oluwaseun a chance to reform, sentencing her to three years imprisonment with the option of paying a fine. The court also ruled that the seized heroin be destroyed according to the NDLEA Act.
