Two of the defendants standing trial alongside former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne have been sentenced to six years imprisonment on counts 5, 6 and 7 of the charge preferred against them.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the sentence, after a plea bargain with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, had been entered by the defendants.
When the trial commenced on Tuesday, the NDLEA counsel, Sunday Joseph, informed the court that two motions seeking a plea bargain in respect of Umeibe and Ezenwanne had been filed.
And a plea bargain agreement had been entered into with the two defendants.
He immediately persuaded the court to adopt the terms of the plea bargain as its judgement against the defendants.
Justice Emeka Nwite while adopting the same, noted that the two defendants were remorseful, then convicted and sentenced the two defendants to two years jail terms each on the three-count charge against them.
The sentence would run concurrently, commencing from the date they were arrested, and their International Passport would be forfeited by section 30 of the NDLEA Act.
Count Five stated that the duo imported 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine, contrary to Section 14 (b) of the NDLEA Act 2004.
Count six on its part bothers on importation of the cocaine without authorisation, contrary to section 11(a) of the act.
And count seven, on possession of 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine, punishable under section 11(d) of the drug act.
The convicts will also be used as prosecution witnesses, in line with the plea bargain agreement with the NDLEA, in the trial of Abba Kyari and the other defendants.
The court also directed that the NDLEA constantly monitor the two defendants, to ensure that they do not engage in any drug-related criminal activities, while serving their jail terms, and ensure their safety in any correctional facility of their choice.
The bail application of Abba Kyari and others has been adjourned to July 18, and immediately trial will commence.
Umeibe and Ezenwanne, who are 6th and 7th defendants respectively in the matter, were alleged to have been in drugs trafficking and were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu State by the Nigerian Police and handed over to the NDLEA.
The duo pleaded guilty to the five, six and seven counts preferred against them.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
