Court Sentences 43-Year-Old to Two Years For Possessing ‘Loud’ Cannabi

A 43-year-old man, Oluwole Johnson, was on Tuesday sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Lagos for illegal possession of two kilograms of a special strain of cannabis known as “Loud.”

Justice Akintayo Aluko handed down the sentence after Johnson pleaded guilty to a one-count charge brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

The NDLEA prosecutor, J.E. Negedu, told the court that Johnson was arrested on February 8, 2025, at Lake View Estate, Phase 1, Ago Palace Way, Lagos, while trading in the banned substance.

Negedu told the court that the offence committed by Johnson contravened Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which prohibits unlawful dealing in narcotic drugs.

Upon his arraignment, on charge NO: FHC/L/314c/2025, Johnson admitted to committing the offence and pleaded guilty.

The prosecutor, through one of the agency’s operatives, presented the facts of the case and tendered evidence, including the seized drugs, which the court accepted.

Following the review of the case, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence the convict, in line with his guilty plea and the law.

However, Johnson’s lawyer, Sunday Okwo, pleaded for leniency.

He informed the court that his client was a first-time offender with no prior criminal record and had shown remorse for his actions.

In his judgment, Justice Aluko convicted Johnson and sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment.

The court, however, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N500,000 in lieu of serving the jail term.