2 Beninoise, 2 Nigerians Jailed 5 Years For Smuggling Of 5.6kg Of Cocaine 

2 Beninoise, 2 Nigerians Jailed 5 Years For Smuggling Of 5.6kg Of Cocaine

Two Beninois and two Nigerians were today sentenced to five years imprisonment each, by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of a Federal High Court, Lagos, today, for smuggling 5.622 kilograms Cocaine into the country.

The convicts are: Fanou Mireille a.k.a Fanoun Mireille, Noudeha Hilda both Beninoise and Akande Olayemi A.k.a Akande Olayemi Babatunde (male) and Luadun Fadekemi (female) both Nigerian.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa handed down the sentence following the  guilty plea of the convicts to the offences of conspiracy and trafficking in the prohibited drug.

The defendants and others at large were said to have on June 2, 2025, at Seme Boarder, Badagry Local Government Area, Lagos State, conspired among themselves to snuggle 5.622 kilograms Cocaine with street value of N89, 916 million.

At the hearing of the charge against the convicts today, the National Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr A. G Yuanyam, informed the court of the pendency of a three count charge before the court and urged the court to order that the charge be read.

The charge was then read and the defendants pleaded guilty to the  charge.

Consequent upon their guilty plea, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the case, as well tendered all exhibits which include the bulk of the seized drug.

The prosecutor thereafter urged the trial judge to convict the defendants as charged and based on the evidence placed before the court and their guilty plea.

The prosecutor in his submission,  also urged the court to consider the class of the drug (Cocaine) which he said belonged to class A, its quantity 5. 622 kilograms, which he said was of commercial quantity with street value of about N89, 916, 000 million.

In his allucutor, counsel to the convicts, Emmanuel Uchenna Okenyi, pleaded for mercy on behalf of the convicts.

Okenyi submitted that his clients were first time offenders, who did not waste the precious time of the court by pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He added that the convicts had since realized their mistakes and have promised to turn a new leave.

Okenyi further asked for a non custodian sentence.

Justice Alagoa in his judgement sentenced each of the convicts to 5 years imprisonment on each of the three counts charge, but ordered them to pay the sum of N1 million each, as fine fine option.

He however held that both term of imprisonment and fine shall run concurrently.

The charge against the defendants reads: “That you, Fanou Mireille a.k.a Fanoun Mireille, Adult, Female, Beninoise citizen, you, Noudeha Hilda, Adult, Female, Beninoise citizen, you, Akande Olayemi a.k.a Akande Olayemi Babatunde, Adult, Male, Nigerian citizen, you, Luadun Fadekemi, Adult, Female, Nigerian citizen, and Daddy (at large), Mama Yabo (at large), Zico (at large) and Baba Luku a.k.a Lukman (at large), on or about 2nd  day of June 2025, at Seme Boarder, Badagry Local Government Area, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority, conspired to import 5. 622 kilograms Cocaine, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended).

“That you, Fanou Mireille a.k.a Fanoun Mireille, Adult, Female, Beninoise citizen, you, noudeha hilda, Adult, Female, Beninoise citizen, you, on or about 2nd day of June 2025, at Seme Boarder, Badagry Local Government Area, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority, imported 5. 622 kilograms Cocaine, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended).

“That you, Fanou Mireille a.k.a Fanoun Mireille, Adult, Female, Beninoise citizen, you, Noudeha Hilda, Adult, Female, Beninoise citizen, you, On or about 2nd  day of June 2025, at Seme Boarder, Badagry Local Government Area, Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority, knowingly possessed 5. 622 kilograms Cocaine, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended).”