The prosecuting officer then rose and read the facts to the court. He stated: “Your Worship, it happened on the 27th November, 2024. A Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( DLEAG) team went to the convict’s home, having received a piece of information that he engaged in drug dealing. Upon arrival at his home, they found him near his compound. The drug officers entered his house and conducted a search. They found on a table eight pieces of harshes and a separate wrap of cannabis. He was then arrested and taken to the station where his cautionary and voluntary statements were obtained which he thumb-printed. He was taken to the weighment unit to weigh the drugs. A certificate was prepared and the officers proceeded to the Scientific Unit for testing. Finally, they proceeded to the Laboratory Unit for analytical purpose.”
Having read the facts to the court, the prosecutor then applied to tender the cautionary and voluntary statements, weighment certificate, the drugs and the analytical report. His application was granted. The presiding magistrate then went through the documents. They were then handed to the convict to go through them, which he did. He was asked by the court whether he had any objections for the tendering of the documents. He answered in the negative. The documents were subsequently admitted by the court.
“You heard the prosecutor read the facts. Are they correct as narrated by him?” asked the magistrate.
“Yes, they are correct,” the convict answered.
“Since you have changed your plea from not guilty to guilty, what do you have to say in mitigation?” the magistrate asked.
“I am pleading to the court to temper justice with mercy. This is my first time to commit such an offence. It is a mistake. I am a student pursuing IT classes. Forgive me,” said the convict.
In his judgement, the magistrate told the court that the convict was a first-time offender, according to the prosecutor. He further stated that the facts narrated by the prosecutor established the elements of the offence. He adduced that he would not impose a mandatory sentence on the convict.
