Thursday, July 3, 2025 - A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced a Beninese national, Hounsou Chegoun, to two years in prison without the option of a fine for trafficking nearly two tonnes of cannabis sativa.
Justice Musa Kakaki handed down the sentence after Chegoun
pleaded guilty to a three-count charge filed against him by the National Drug
Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
According to the charge sheet, Chegoun was arrested by
NDLEA’s Special Marine Unit on December 24, 2024, while in possession of 1,960
kilograms of cannabis sativa.
Chegoun was arrested alongside three other Beninese nationals and two Ghanaians. (pictured)
At Tuesday’s proceedings, NDLEA prosecutor Chidinma Izuagba
informed the court of the charges and requested that they be read to the
defendant.
Chegoun admitted guilt to all three counts.
Following the plea, the prosecution reviewed the case and
tendered key evidence, including the confiscated drugs and supporting
documents, urging the court to convict the defendant based on the weight of the
facts.
Chegoun’s counsel, Godwin Okaka, pleaded for leniency. He
told the court that his client was a first-time offender who had shown remorse
and posed no ongoing threat to society.
Okaka also appealed for the court to impose a fine rather
than a custodial sentence.
However, Justice Kakaki dismissed the plea, stressing the
severe implications of drug trafficking on Nigerian society, particularly its
impact on the youth and the country’s global image.
“The quantity involved is staggering. Had it not been
intercepted, the damage would have been immense. The court cannot ignore the
scale of harm drug trafficking causes to the nation,” the judge said.
Justice Kakaki emphasised the need for Nigeria to remain
unyielding in its battle against narcotics, especially through its maritime
routes.
0 Comments