Senegalese Woman Bags 5 Years Imprisonment For Drug Trafficking

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday sentenced a 33-year-old Senegalese woman, Kamara Oumou, to five years imprisonment for trafficking in hard drugs.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oumou was caught with 515 grammes of Cocaine and 165 grammes of heroine inserted in her private part.

Oumou, had on arraignment, pleaded guilty over a two-count charge bordering on trafficking in illicit drugs.

Justice Musa Kurya, had sentenced Oumou after listening to the review of the facts given by an officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Mr Okechukwu Mambo.

Mambo was led in evidence by the Prosecutor, Mr Ichakpa Oigoga.

NAN reports that Mambo reviewed the facts of the case on March 27.

He told the court that he was an exhibit keeper at the NDLEA office.

 He said that the accused was brought to him on April 11, 2013 by the NDLEA officer attached to the Murtala Muhammed International Airpot, Ikeja, Lagos.

Mambo said that some items that were brought along with the Senegalese woman were all written in her name.

He said that the items include three sealed substances suspected to be hard drugs, one Senegal passport and one Senegalese national identity card.

Other items are one E-Ticket of Arik Airlines and two boarding passes, all in the name of the accused.
He said that other items include the statement of the accused written in French and English Languages, a drug seizure receipt, three copies of test analysis and drug analysis form.

The exhibit keeper said that an NDLEA forensic expert also brought a big sealed envelope to him, all for safe-keeping.

He said that he kept all the items in the NDLEA strong-room.

Kurya had remanded the accused and adjourned the matter to May 17 for sentencing.

At the resumed hearing, Kurya convicted and sentenced the accused to five years imprisonment without an option of fine.

He found the accused guilty on the two-count charge and sentenced her to two and half years on each of the counts.

He said that the sentence would run consecutively.

Kurva ordered that the sentence should take effect from the day the judgement was given.

Counsel to the accused, Mr Victor Ababa, had pleaded for the leniency of the accused and said that she was a first offender.

NAN recalls that the convict was first arraigned on Nov. 28, 2013.

The prosecutor had told the court that the convict committed the offence on April 11, 2013 at the Murtala Muhammed Airport. .

He said that the convict had hidden the illicit substance in her private part and wanted to board an Arik Airline to Dakar. (NAN)

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