Drug trafficking: Ghanaian jailed 35 years

A Ghanaian, Gyan Paul, 40, was on Friday sentenced to 35 years imprisonment for drug trafficking.

The Federal High Court, Lagos, Justice Chuka Obiozor handed down the sentence after finding Gyan guilty of unlawful trafficking of 2.02 kilograms of Methamphetamine.

Gyan was arraigned on a five-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful exportation of 2.02 kilograms of the proscribed substance by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The judge held that the prosecution was able to prove its case against the defendant beyond every reasonable doubt.

He sentenced the Ghanaian to 15 years in both counts one and three, while in count two, he was sentenced to five years, totalling 35 years jail term.

Justice Obiozor, who ordered that the jail term would run concurrently, however, gave the convict an option of N250, 000 fine on count one and three.

He said the jail terms would start from the day he was convicted and sentenced.

The judge also ordered that the convicted Ghanaian be deported back to his country after serving the jail terms and his traveling passport be forfeited to the Ghanaian government.

The prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Julian Iroabuchi, had told the court that the convict was arrested with the banned substance concealed in a tomato tin packed in “Ghana Must Go” bags by the NDLEA operatives.

She said the convict was arrested on February 25, 2018, at the departure hall of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, during the outward clearance Ethiopia airline passengers.