3 Bolivians jailed for production of banned drug

For producing an unlawful drug, Methamphetamine, three Bolivian nationals, on Tuesday was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Lagos State.

The jailed Bolivians are: Reuben Ticono Jorge, Yhugo Chavaez Moreno, and Yerko Artunduago Dorado.

The court had on Monday, November 21, 2016, convicted the three Bolivians after they had pleaded guilty to two count charge drug related offences leveled against them by the National Drugs Laws Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The prosecutor, Mr. Ibrahim Isiaka had tendered several evidences, which included certificate of test analysis, drug analysis reports, their statements which were written in English and Portuguese, and other incriminating evidences, which were admitted as exhibits by the court.

However, Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo reserved judgement against the Bolivians till Tuesday, following the plea by their lawyer, Chief Benson Ndakara, to be lenient in sentencing them due to the period they had spent in detention.

In pleading for lighter jail terms for the convicts, Chief Ndakara had orally cited some legal authorities, which the court told him to supply before proceeding in pronouncing the jail term.

Delivering judgment on the criminal charge, Justice Oguntoyinbo said the jail terms prescribed by the NDLEA Act for count one of the charge is life imprisonment without prescribing minimum sentence.

The judge also stated that the prescribed jail term for second count is 25 years without prescribing minimum jail terms.

Consequently, Jusice Oguntoyinbo sentenced each of the three Bolivians to six years imprisonment on each count.

She ordered the jail terms to run concurrently, and to start counting from February 2, 2012, when they were arrested.

Methamphetamine is similar to Heroin and LSD.