A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted a man, Dali Markus, for dealing in 52.8 grammes of Tramadol and 132.9 grammes of Benzhexol, fixing November 11 for his sentencing.
The trial judge, Justice Ayokunle Faji, adjourned the case for sentencing after the prosecution reviewed the facts of the case following the defendant’s arraignment and guilty plea to the two-count amended charge.
When the matter was called, Chidinma O. Izuagba, Esq., announced her appearance for the prosecution, while Bolanle Kolawole, Esq., represented the defendant.
Izuagba, counsel to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), informed the court that she had filed a two-count amended charge dated September 25, 2026, against the defendant.
She subsequently applied for the charge to be read to him for his plea.
The court granted the application, and the amended charge was read to Markus, who pleaded guilty to both counts.
According to the amended charge, marked FHC/LAG/CR/736/26, Markus allegedly committed the offences on August 21, 2026, at the Kirikiri area of Tin Can Port, Lagos State, where he dealt in 52.8 grammes of Tramadol, with a dosage of 225 milligrammes, and 132.9 grammes of Benzhexol, with a dosage of five milligrammes, without lawful authority.
The prosecution described the substances in the charge as psychotropic substances similar to cocaine, LSD and heroin.
The offences are contrary to and punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Following the defendant’s guilty plea, the prosecution reviewed the facts of the case and called one witness, Kenneth Babajiya, an NDLEA officer, who testified as PW1.
Led in evidence by Izuagba, Babajiya told the court how the defendant was brought to his office alongside substances suspected to be prohibited drugs.
He explained that the substances were subsequently taken to a scientific laboratory for analysis, where they tested positive.
The witness tendered relevant documents and the seized substances in evidence.
The defence counsel did not object to their admissibility, and the court admitted the documents and the bulk of the substances as exhibits.
The defence also declined to cross-examine the prosecution witness.
After reviewing the exhibits, the defendant’s guilty plea and the relevant provisions of the NDLEA Act and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Justice Faji found Markus guilty as charged.
In her plea for leniency, known as allocutus, defence counsel Kolawole urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
She submitted that the convict was remorseful, sober and had learnt a bitter lesson from his actions. She consequently urged the court to consider a non-custodial sentence, preferably an option of fine.
After listening to the defence’s plea, Justice Faji adjourned the matter until November 11 for sentencing.
The two-count amended charge reads “That you, DALI MARKUS, male, adult, on or about the 21st day of August, 2026, at Kirikiri Area of TIN CAN Port, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority dealt in 52.8 grammes of 225 milligrammes of Tramadol, a psychotropic substance similar to Cocaine, LSD and Heroin, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you, DALI MARKUS, male, adult, on or about the 21st day of August, 2026, at Kirikiri Area of TIN CAN Port, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority dealt in 132.9 grammes of 5 milligrammes of Benzhexol, a psychotropic substance similar to Cocaine, LSD and Heroin, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
