Operatives of the Indian Police have arrested a Nigerian citizen, Charles Diffodile, for allegedly trafficking banned drugs to Kerala from Bengaluru, India.
It was gathered that the suspect was in possession of 55 grams of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine at the time of his arrest.
According to the Indian Police, Diffodile is a drug distributor to many areas in Kerala and he was involved in a drug case that the police were investigating which led to the arrest.
“He was distributing narcotics to many areas inside Kerala. Police were investigating a drug case which led to the arrest of Charles from Bengaluru, Karnataka. He was on bail after another narcotic case,” the police stated.
In a now-viral video, the Nigerian was seen handcuffed in the midst of many policemen, as the police chief spoke to journalists.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced a 51-year-old landlord, Saheed Ojomu, to five-year imprisonment for allowing his tenant to use his shop to warehouse cannabis.
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The convict was arrested over the banned substance found in one of his shops on March 31, 2017, by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
During his arrest and arraignment, he claimed that the banned substance belonged to one of his tenants, Sakiru (now at large), and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The charge read, “That you, Saheed Ojomu, 46, on or about March 31, 2017, at No. 1, Osho Street, Island, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, being occupier and manager of a shop at No.1, Osho Street, Lagos Island, unlawfully permitted same to be used by one Sakiru (now at large) for the purpose of storing and dealing in 372.6 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa, a narcotic drug similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
During trial, the prosecution called two witnesses and tendered some exhibits, which the court admitted.
However, at the resumed trial of the convict, his counsel, Mrs Vivienne Ekwegh, informed the court that her client had decided to change his plea.
She, therefore, urged the court to award a fine option in lieu of a custodian sentence.
In his judgment, Justice Daniel Osiagor sentenced the convict to five-year imprisonment.
However, the judge ordered the convict to pay a fine of N300,000.