Ex KSA's Band Boy Gets 3 Years Jail For cocaine

Justice S. Seidu of the Federal High Court, Lagos,on Tuesday sentenced a veteran guitarist Fatoke Abiodun to 3years imprisonment for drug trafficking.

The convict pleaded guilty to one count charge of
unlawful exportation of 1.575kg of cocaine on
February 26 while ruling was reserved till this
month.

The defence counsel, Mr. Bayo Onifade, had
pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy
since the convict is 62 years old, a husband of three
wives with 12 children.

In his ruling, Justice Seidu sentenced the convict to
three years imprisonment with effect from the date
of arrest.

He noted that the appeal of the defence counsel
and the fact that the convict pleaded guilty as
charged without wasting the time of the court was
carefully considered.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the
NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade has reiterated his call for
stiffer penalty for drug offenders.

According to Giade, "punishment must be commensurate to serve as a deterrent to others.
The drug is worth several millions of naira and the
damage to humanity cannot be quantified."

Abiodun was apprehended by NDLEA operatives on
January 1 at the Murtala Mohammed International
Airport, Lagos.