A remarkable scene unfolded at the Federal High Court in Benin City when Tope Ayanwale, a 34-year-old drug trafficker, collapsed right after being sentenced.
The sentencing was carried out by Justice Chuka Obiozor on Thursday, with Ayanwale receiving a three-year prison term, alongside an alternative option of paying a fine of N10 million.
Reports from Daily Trust indicate that two additional defendants, Etinosa Bazuaye and Godfrey Osabuohien, were also sentenced, each receiving 15 years along with fines of N6 million and N3 million respectively.
All three individuals were brought before the court by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over illegal possession of controlled substances.
Ayanwale was found guilty of possessing 1.272 kilograms of cannabis sativa, 2.1 grams of methamphetamine, and 176 grams of tramadol. Upon the announcement of her sentence, she fainted inside the courtroom.
Emergency medical staff promptly attended to her, and she was later taken under the custody of prison officials.
In a different ruling, Justice Obiozor concluded that Bazuaye and Osabuohien had unlawfully possessed 13 grams of cocaine and 15 kilograms of cannabis respectively.
Following the convictions, Dr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, the Edo State Commander of the NDLEA, praised the court's decisions, emphasizing that it reflects the agency's renewed determination under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd). Ofoyeju stated, "The conviction of Tope Ayanwale sends a clear message: Edo State is a hostile environment for drug traffickers and their affiliates," reaffirming the NDLEA's commitment to dismantling drug networks and prosecuting violators to the fullest extent of the law.
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