Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted a medical doctor, Dennis Konyeaso, of unlawful dealing in 3.3kg of cocaine.The judge, however, cleared his wife, Chidi, of any complicity in the alleged offence.
In his judgement, Justice Idris found the doctor guilty of all the four counts slammed on him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and accordingly convicted him.
The judge however suspended the sentencing of the fleeing convict till when he would be apprehended by security operatives and brought to court.
The couple were sometimes in 2012 charged before the court by the NDLEA on a four-count charge of conspiracy, aiding and abating, unlawful dealing and storing of 3.3kg of cocaine.
In her testimony before the court, the doctor’s wife, a mother of three, disclosed that her husband abandoned her and the kids for several years after he learnt that the NDLEA invaded their house in search of the banned substance.
The woman maintained that she was not aware of her husband’s involvement in drug dealings until when some NDLEA operatives came and search their residence and found parcels of substance which was later confirmed to be cocaine.
She further revealed that since her husband became aware of the operatives discovery, he had abandoned her and the three kids and that they only survived through the help of her relatives and pastor.
In a charge marked FHC/L/2C/2012, the NDLEA alleged that the couple had sometimes in July, 2007, conspired with and aided one, Victor Keyamo, an ex-convict, to export 3.3kg of cocaine.
They were also alleged to have on July 9, 2007, at their residence, Plot 729 Atere, Omole Estate, Ikeja, Lagos, without lawful authority, possessed and stored the illicit drug.
The offences, according to the NDLEA prosecutor, Mrs. Obiageri Iwuchukwu Ahaji, were contrary to and punishable under Sections 14(b), 19 and 12 of the NDLEA Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
source: Thenigerialawyer.com
