Osun court jails motorcyclist Musa Mohammed four years for cannabis trafficking

Musa Mohammed has been sentenced to four years in prison by an Osogbo court for trafficking 10.7kg of Cannabis Sativa, the NDLEA confirms

Musa Mohammed has been sentenced to four years imprisonment by a Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, for unlawfully transporting 10.7 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa along the Gbongan-Ibadan Expressway.

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Justice Mashkur Salisu, who presided over the matter, found the commercial motorcyclist guilty of drug trafficking after the prosecution, led by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

During the trial, NDLEA prosecutor, Olufemi Ijimakin, told the court that Mohammed was arrested on 1 March 2024 for transporting the illicit drug within Osun State, an offence contrary to Section 11(b) of the NDLEA Act.

The prosecution presented three witnesses and tendered ten exhibits in evidence, while Mohammed pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Delivering judgment, Justice Salisu held that the NDLEA had successfully established its case, leaving no reasonable doubt as to the defendant’s guilt.

Counsel to the convict, Olayiwola Adeniyi, pleaded for leniency, describing his client as a first-time offender who acted out of desperation.

Although the offence carries a potential life sentence, Justice Salisu opted for a lighter punishment, sentencing Musa Mohammed to four years in prison without the option of a fine.

The court further ordered that the seized cannabis be destroyed and that the motorcycle used in transporting the drug be forfeited to the Federal Government.

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The conviction highlights the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to curb drug trafficking and enforce strict compliance with Nigeria’s narcotics laws.

David Okere