A Lagos Federal High Court has convicted and sentenced two men, John Kanu and Obinna Eze, to four years imprisonment each for conspiracy and unlawful possession of 839.4kg of pangolin scales and 145kg of elephant tusks.
They were given the jail terms by Justice Nicholas Oweibo after they pleaded guilty to the charges made against them by the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos.
The two men were arraigned alongside Anthony Onyebuchi and Monday Nnamanni, in an amended charge marked, FHC/L/123c/22.
The convicts and the two men had pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were arraigned before the court.
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However, at the resumed hearing of the charges on Wednesday, the two informed the court of their intention to change their plea, which was granted by the court.
Following the development, the judge ordered that the amended charge be read to them.
The two defendants pleaded guilty to the charges, while Anthony Onyebuchi and Monday Nnamanni, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
With their guilty plea, the prosecutors, Mr David Ereh, Michael Osong and Abidemi Aluko, told the court that the convicts and others on February 2, 2022, conspired among themselves to a warehouse and stole the prohibited items at Adeba in Ijebu Lekki, Lagos State.
The prosecutors told the court that the convicts’ actions contravened Sections 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. Section 7(3) of the National Environmental (Protection of Endangered Species in International Trade) Regulations, 20n and punishable under section 7(4) of the same Regulations. And section 5(1) of the Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) (Amendment) Act, 2016 and punishable under section 5(1) (a) of the same act.
But their lawyer, Mr Chukwu Agwu, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his clients.
Justice Oweibo sentenced the two convicts to two years each on counts one and two, and pardoned them on count tree.
The judge adjourned to September 28, for the trial of the remaining two defendants.
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