AFRICA

Surinamese Gets 13-Year Jail Term in Nigeria For Drug Offence

A 34-year-old South American man from Suriname has been sentenced to 13 years prison term for smuggling drug into Nigeria.

The man, whose name was given as Dadda Lorenzo Harvy Albert, was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers state for bringing into Nigeria 117 parcels of cocaine concealed in extra-large latex condoms factory packed inside bottles of 100ml body spray, taken to court subsequently found guilty and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

According to a statement on Wednesday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, the accused who claimed he departed his country, Suriname, located in the North Eastern coast of South America on 2nd April for Sao Paulo, Brazil and from Sao Paulo to Nigeria on Friday 7th April, 2023 on board Qatar Airways flight in search of his long-lost Nigerian father whom he called “Omini”, was arraigned before Justice E.A. Obile of the Federal High Court 2, Port Harcourt on 1st June on two counts of importation and unlawful possession of 9.9 kilogrammes cocaine in charge number FHC/PH/181C/23.

The Surinamese however pleaded guilty to the two-count charge and after the review of the facts of the case on Thursday 20th July, he was convicted and sentenced to 13 years imprisonment on both counts without an option of fine.

In his ruling, Justice Obile declared that “You Dadda Lorenzo Harvy Albert is hereby sentenced to 13 years imprisonment without option of fine on Count 1 and Count 2 also. And both shall run concurrently.”

The trial judge also ordered the forfeiture of the sum of US$90 R$10 (Brazilian Real) recovered from the convict at the time of his arrest to the Federal Government. The court equally refused the application by Lorenzo’s Counsel for him to be deported back to his country. As a result, the convict is now serving his term of imprisonment at the Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

According to Babafemi, the successful prosecution and conviction of Lorenzo is one of the 1,445 drug cases concluded at the Federal High Court across the country between January and June 2023 by the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services of NDLEA with the trial of a total of 11,166 other drug suspects ongoing in court.

He said out of the 1,445 convicts, 221 of them are female while the balance of 1,541 are male; and of the 11,166 pending cases, 10,626 of them are men while the rest, 540 are women.

Babafemi said the 1,445 convicts and 11,166 suspects who are still facing trial were arrested and charged to court over the seizure of 555,953.70 kilogrammes of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, tramadol and others linked to them between January and June 2023.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) commended officers and men of the prosecution department for a job well done.

He however charged them to remain committed to diligent prosecution of all pending cases in court, adding that conviction and sentencing without the option of fine is a strong deterrence to offenders and anyone contemplating going into any crime.

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Follow us on:

AriseNews

View Comments

  • 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇Golf 3, 4, 5 N350,000 to N550,000

    Toyota Camry big daddy N550,000 to 1.3mill

    Toyota Camry tiny light N550,000 to 800k

    Land Cruiser jeep 950,000 to 1,300,000

    Toyota matrix N750,000 to 900k

    Lexus RX 350 ,950,000 to 2million

    Lexus RX 330 750,000 to 1.8

    Toyota Prado jeep N950,000 to 1.8

    Toyota Hiace Bus N950,000 to 1million

    Toyota Avalon N650,000 to 1million

    Toyota corolla N550,000 to 900k

    Mazda 626 N650,000 to 1.2

    Peugeot 406 N700,000 to 1million

    Peugeot 207 N750,000 to 900

    Honda accord E.O.D N750,000 to 3 million

    Honda Evil Spirit N7500,000 to 1.6

    Toyota Avensis N750,000 to 1m

    Toyota RAV4 N850,000 to 1.3

    Toyota Seinna N850,000 to 2m

    Toyota Highlander N900,000 to 1.5 million

    Toyota Yaris N550,000 to 1.5 million

    Nissan Murano N750,000 to 1 million

    Nissan Pathfinder N800,000 to 2

    Infiniti FX35 N750,000 to 1million

    Infiniti FX45 N850,000 to 8.8 AND MANY OF THE CARS ARE NOT LISTED HEREO7O 4540 6674 }

Recent Posts

Kemi Badenoch Wins Conservative Leadership, Vows Party Renewal, A Return to Traditional Values

Kemi Badenoch has pledged to "renew" the Conservative Party and reclaim voters as she was…

1 hour ago

Peter Obi Criticises Court Ruling Halting Rivers State Funds, Calls for Reversal

Peter Obi has criticised the court ruling withholding funds to Rivers State, calling it disturbing…

7 hours ago

AGF Fagbemi Takes Over Prosecution of #EndBadGovernance Protesters Amidst Allegations of Treason

AGF Fagbemi has taken over the prosecution of 114 #EndBadGovernance protesters, addressing alleged treason and…

7 hours ago

NNPC, ONHYM Advance African Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project Amid Regional Collaboration

NNPC and Morocco's ONHYM has advanced the $26 billion African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, emphasising regional…

7 hours ago

TCN Restores Power Supply Through Gombe-Damaturu-Maiduguri Line

TCN has restored power on the Gombe-Damaturu-Maiduguri line, fully operational again after vandalism halted service.

7 hours ago

Nineteen Injured In Central Israel Following Projectile Launch From Lebanon

Nineteen people were injured in central Israel after three projectiles were launched from Lebanon early…

7 hours ago