Widow Bags 3-Year Jail Term For Unlawful Possession Of 5.150kg Cannabis Sativa

A Federal High Court, sitting in Osogbo, Osun State capital, on Monday sentenced a 25-year-old widow, Mariam Abiodun, to three years imprisonment for illegal possession of 5.150 kg of cannabis sativa.

According to the statement of fact, Abiodun committed the offence on January 5, 2024, along the Gbongan-Ibadan road.

The offence contravened Section 11(b) of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Abiodun had pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of illegal possession of cannabis sativa pressed against her by the NDLEA.

She pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in her case.

Her counsel, Mr. Alfred Adegoke, told the court that she had recently lost her spouse in addition to losing her parents when she was younger.

Adegoke also informed the court that she brought her two children to the court, one of which is about six months old.

The defence counsel implored the court to be lenient in sentencing the convict, who he claimed to be a first offender.

In his judgement, Justice Mashkur Salisu, who considered Sections 416(2) and 460(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), on the need for reformation of the criminal, sentenced the convict to three years imprisonment with an option of N500,000 fine.