Drug dealing: Court remands octogenarian in old people’s home

An 87-year-old woman, Agbomabiwon Maria Seriki, was remanded at the Lagos State home for old people, Yaba, by Justice Hadizat Rabiu-Shagari of a Federal High Court in Lagos over illegal dealing in 10.3kg of Cannabis Sativa.

The judge while delivering judgment after Maria owned up to the offence, said the old people’s home will be the woman’s abode pending when any member of her family, who is willing and able to take proper care of her, apply to the court to take her custody.

The convict, a resident of 9, Osunba Street, Oto-Awori, Ijanikin, Lagos, had last week Tuesday, pleaded guilty to a count charge of unlawful dealing in 10.3 kilograms of cannabis sativa, a narcotic similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD, following her arraignment before the court by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, NDLEA’s lawyer, Aliyu Abubakar, reviewed the facts of the case. In the process, he tendered some documents and items which included the convict's confessional statement, drug test analysis and the bulk of the cannabis sativa seized from her. The documents and items were later admitted as exhibits by the court.

Afterwards, the octogenarian was pronounced guilty as charged by Justice Shagari.
Prior to her sentencing, Maria’s lawyer, Prosper Ojakovo, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy.

The lawyer, while also urging the court to consider the woman’s age in sentencing her, said she was a first time offender, who has no one to take care of her.  

In her judgment, Justice Shagari noted that considering the convict’s age, sending her to prison will be of no benefit. The judge later ordered her remand in old people’s home. 

In a related development, a 56-year-old woman, Anya Nneoma, was also sentenced to 12 months jail term yesterday by Justice Shagari, for illegal dealing in hard drugs.

Nneoma had last Tuesday admitted dealing illegally in 5.5kg of marijuana.