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The Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, has sentenced a cripple, Emmanuel Ozua, to four years imprisonment for dealing in Cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp).
Delivering a judgement yesterday, the presiding judge, Justice Isah Gafai, said the accused, in spite of his disability, involved himself in drug trafficking and, therefore, deserved to be punished according to the law.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said 23-year-old cripple, who hails from Awkuzu in Oyi Local Government Area of the state, was arrested with 100 grammes of the substance at Nkwo market, Awkuzu, on September 21, 2013.
The prosecution also alleged that the convict had initially been arrested on February 19, 2013, in possession of 300 grammes of the substance but was counseled and pardoned but lamented that he continued with the trafficking until he was arrested for the second time in September, last year.
The court also sentenced two other traffickers, Udoka Nwodo and David Admenchezo, to three years imprisonment each without an option of fine.
NDLEA prosecutor had told the court that the 21-year-old Nwodo who hails from Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, was arrested on March 31, 2014, with 2.3 grammes of Cannabis, while Admenchezo, 48, who hails from Enuko village, Isiagu in Awka South Local Government Area of the state, was arrested with 200 grammes of Cannabis on May 27, 2014.
