A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has sentenced a commercial motorcyclist, Musa Mohammed, to four years imprisonment for unlawfully transporting 10.7 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa along the Gbongan–Ibadan Expressway.

Justice Mashkur Salisu, who presided over the case, found Mohammed guilty of the charge brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

During the arraignment on March 13, 2024, NDLEA prosecutor Olufemi Ijimakin informed the court that the defendant was arrested on March 1, 2024, while trafficking 10.7kg of cannabis in violation of Section 11(b) of the NDLEA Act.

Ijimakin presented three witnesses and ten exhibits to establish the prosecution’s case, while the defendant pleaded not guilty.

In his judgment, Justice Salisu ruled that the NDLEA had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, convicting the accused accordingly.

Counsel to the convict, Olayiwola Adeniyi, pleaded for leniency, describing Mohammed as a first-time offender.

Although the offence carries a possible life sentence, Justice Salisu opted for a lighter punishment, sentencing Mohammed to four years imprisonment without an option of fine.

The court further ordered that the seized cannabis be destroyed, and the motorcycle used for its transportation forfeited to the Federal Government.