Justice Ayokunle Faji of Federal High Court, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced two convicted drug dealers, Momoh Charles and Mohammed Umar, to some prison terms after pronouncing them guilty of drug relating offences, brought against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Justice Faji convicted and sentenced the two drug dealers on Monday, while delivering judgment in a two-separate charges slammed on them.
In the first convict, Momoh Charles, he was brought before the court in a charge marked FHC/L/766C/2024.
He was convicted and sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment for unlawful importation of 51.25 kilograms of cannabis indica concealed inside a 2015 Hyundai Accent and a 2010 Hyundai Sonata.
The convict had initially pleaded not guilty when arraigned, prompting the prosecution to open its case on May 26, 2025.
During his trial, the prosecutor, Barrister Adekunle Adebajo who led Barrister C. Izuagba, called two witnesses, Kenneth Babajiya and Patricia Afolabi, while exhibits A to J were tendered during the trial.
However, on the resumed hearing of the matter on July 20, 2026, after part of the prosecution’s case had been presented, the defendant changed his plea to guilty and he was consequently convicted.
In sentencing the convict, Justice Faji noted that the offence carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment under Section 11(b) of the NDLEA Act.
Applying the sentencing guidelines, the judge fixed a starting point of 10 years because the quantity of drugs constituted a presumptive commercial quantity, although the defendant’s culpability was considered low.
The court increased the sentence by one year because the drugs were concealed in two vehicles but reduced it by two years, but after considering the convict’s’ status as a first-time offender and a certified debilitating medical condition involving alcoholic liver cirrhosis and hepatitis.
Justice Faji however granted the convict a 50 percent reduction, stating that the plea had saved the court’s time.
The judge finally sentenced the convict to four years and six months, effective from September 11, 2024.
The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the two Hyundai vehicles to the Federal Government as instrumentalities used in committing the offence.
In the case of the second convict, Muhammed Umar, who was arraigned before the court in a charge numbered FHC/LAG/CR/345/2026, on a three count-charge of unlawful possession of521 grams of Tramadol 225mg, 64 grams of Diazepam, and 600 grams of Tramadol.
He had pleaded guilty upon his arraignment on July 2, 2026.
Following his guilty plea, the prosecutor, Barrister M. I. Erondu, called a witness Ogar Aliyu Muhammed, and reviewed the facts and tendered exhibits and prayed the court convicted him.
In sentencing the convict, Justice Faji held that although the offences are punishable with life imprisonment under Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, but the quantities involved were classified as presumptive non-commercial quantities, attracting lower culpability under the sentencing guidelines.
Justice Faji also considered Umar’s clean criminal record and early guilty plea, granting him a 50 percent sentencing rebate.
The judge consequently sentenced the convict to six months and 15 days imprisonment on each of three counts.
The three prison terms, according to the judge are to run concurrently from May 8, 2026, the date he was first remanded in custody.