Convict gets another 20-year term for drug trafficking

Justice Ibrahim Buba, of a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday, sentenced a 40-year-old convict, Matthew Mgbeike, to 20 years imprisonment, for drug trafficking.

The judge sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to importing heroine.

“Following the plea of the accused, he is hereby found guilty, and convicted as charged.

“The convict is not a first time offender, as he had been previously convicted by a court of law.

“He is not remorseful, and therefore deserves no mercy.

“The convict is hereby sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, without option of fine.

“His sentence shall start running from May 31, 2013,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused was first arraigned on Dec. 9, 2010, on the charge, and had pleaded not guilty.

The judge had granted him bail in the sum of N1 million, with one surety in like sum.

The accused had, however, jumped his bail and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest on April 10, 2013.

He was re-arrested sometime in May 2013, by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for a similar offence.

The accused was arraigned on May 24, 2013, before another judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, under the name, Aliu Aminu.

At a subsequent arraignment, the accused had pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against him, and Justice Idris had on May 31, 2013, sentenced him to three years imprisonment.

Meanwhile, the accused, who was already serving his three-year jail term, was on Thursday, produced before Justice Buba, to continue his trial for which he had earlier jumped bail.

When the case was called on March 6, the accused informed the court that he was changing his initial plea, and is now pleading guilty to the charge.

Following his plea, Justice Buba sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment, without option of fine.

The prosecutor, Mr Emmanuel Vembe, had earlier told the court that the convict was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed Airport on Oct. 17, 2010.

He said about 3. 150 kilograms of heroine was recovered from the convict during the inward clearance of passengers on board a Qatar Airline flight from Dubai.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 11 (a) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004. (NAN)