Francis Iwuchukwu 
A Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Nicholas Owe- ibo, has sentenced a drug smuggler, Udogwu James Johnson, to five years imprisonment over his unlawful involvement in the importation of 300 grams of cocaine.
The judge took the decision after the drug merchant pleaded guilty to an amended charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The convict, according to the prosecutor, Mr Abu Ibrahim, was first arraigned before the court on August 12, 2021, but pleaded not guilty to the charge.
However, midway to his trial, Johnson jumped bail and the same was revoked on June 6, 2022. He was later rearrested in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he was facing another charge of drug-related offences.
At the resumed hearing of the charge designated as FHC/L/128c/21, Johnson signified his intention to change his plea, and the amended charge was read to him.
The amended charge reads: “That you Udogwu James Johnson, Male, Adult on or about the 25th of December, 2020 at the D-Arrival Hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, without lawful authority, Imported 300 grams of Cocaine, a Narcotic Drug, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11 (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
The drug baron pleaded guilty to the amended charge, which prompted the prosecutor to ask the court to convict and sentence Johnson according to the section of the law he was charged with. In his judgement, Justice Oweibo slammed the drug baron with a 5-year jail term.
