Wale Igbintade
A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday convicted and sentenced one Mrs. Odeyemi Omolara to 15 years imprisonment for drug trafficking.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu handed down the sentence on Omolara, a co-defendant with a Lagos-based business woman and socialite, Mrs. Funmilayo Ariket Ogbuanya (aka Ariket) in a drug case pending before the court.
Omolara, who is currently serving a 25 years jail term slammed on her in June 2017 by Justice Hadiza Shagari after confessing to have committed some counts as alleged in the charge, last week decided to confess to the remaining counts relating to her in the charge, consequent upon which the new trail Judge found her guilty and sentenced her accordingly.
However, Justice Dehinde Dipeolu said the 15 years jail term shall run concurrently with the ongoing 25 years sentence handed down on the convict since June 2017.
It would be recalled that Justice Dipeolu last week fixed yesterday for the conviction and sentence after Omolara, who is the first defendant in a four-count charge changed her plea from not guilty to guilty, and counsel to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Abu Ibrahim reviewed the facts of the case.
Meanwhile, following the sentencing of Odeyemi Omolara, who is the first defendant in the four-count charge of the trial of Ariket, who had pleaded not guilty commenced.
At the commencement of trial yesterday, NDLEA called five prosecution witnesses to testify in support of its case against Ariket Ogbuanya.
Giving evidence before the court, the arresting officer, an operative of the NDLEA attached to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, Mrs. Sonibare Iyabode, told Justice Dipeolu that on February 24, 2017, during the check-in of Egypt Air at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja Lagos, when it was the turn of Odeyemi Omolara to be checked in, the convict, while placing her back on the table for examination, said: “My daughter there is nothing in my bag let me go.”
The witness said she, however, insisted on checking the bag, adding that while checking the bag she noticed two flatly packed nylon in the bag and when she brought it out, Omolara held her hands, placed her head on the checking table and said: “Ariket has killed me; Ariket has finished me.”
Shonibare said as the convict was being led away to the NDLEA legal seat, the only thing she was saying was ‘Ariket has killed me, Ariket has finished me’.
Apart from the arresting officer, four other operatives of the anti-narcotic agency also testified as to the role they played while investigating the case.
Ariket Ogbuanya, popular known as Ariket, alongside her alleged convicted co-conspirator, Mrs. Omolola, were re-arraigned in March on an amendment four counts charge.
The duo, who are also known as Funmilola Ogundipe and Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi respectively, were re-arraigned before Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu of a Federal High Court in Lagos on a four count-charge of conspiracy, unlawful possession, aiding and abetting, and attempt to smuggle 1.595 kilograms of cocaine to Saudi Arabia.
They were first arraigned before Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari (now a Court of Appeal Judge) sometimes in 2017 on a five count charge of conspiracy, aiding and abetting, unlawful possession of banned drug, and attempt to export the said banned drug to Saudi Arabia.
While the convicted Odeyemi Omolara, was arraigned on charges of conspiracy, unlawful possession of hard drug, and attempt to export the said banned drug to Saudi Arabia, Ariket, was arraigned on charges of conspiracy, aiding and abetting and procuring the convict for the purpose of trafficking the prohibited drug..
However, while Omolara pleaded guilty to two of the initial five count charge and was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment, Ariket maintain her not guilty plea.
Dissatisfied with Justice Shagari’s judgment, the convict, through her lawyer, appealed her conviction.
However, NDLEA through its lawyer, Abu Ibrahim, filed a counter to the appeal and urged the court to affirm the convict’s conviction.
Delivering judgment on the appeal, the three man-panel led by Justice Ebiowei Tobi, on February 26, 2021, dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit, while affirmed Justice Shagari’s judgment.
Meanwhile, after almost eight years of their first arraignment, both the socialite, Ariket, and her convicted conspirator, Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi, were re-arraigned on four counts amended charge bothering on conspiracy, unlawful possession of the prohibited drugs, aiding and abetting and procuring of the convict to possessed the drug, before Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu. While the convict, Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi pleaded guilty to the charges, the socialite, Ariket, denied participating in the alleged crime and pleaded not guilty the charges.
Charges against the duo read: “That you (1) Odeyemi Omolara aka Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi, Female, Adult of No. 27 Adebule Street, Off Palm Avenue, Mushin, Lagos State and (2) Funmilola Arike Ogbuaya a.k.a Ariket, Funmilola Ogundipe on about the February 23, 2017, conspired to export 1.595 kilogrammes of cocaine, a narcotic drug and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Funmilola Arike Ogbuaya aka Ariket Funmilola Ogundipe on or about the 24th February 2017 aided one Odeyemi Omolara aka Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi to export 1.595 kilogrammes of cocaine, a narcotic drug and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Funmilola Arike Ogbuaya aka Ariket Funmilola Ogundipe on or about the February 24, 2017, procured one Odeyemi Omolara aka Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi to export 1.595 kilogrammes of cocaine, a narcotic drug and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Odeyemi Omolara aka Ariyo Monsurat Olabisi, female, Adult of No. 27 Adebule Street, off Palm Avenue, Mushin, Lagos State, on or about February 24, 2017, without lawful authority knowingly possessed 1.595 kilogrammes of cocaine, a narcotic drug and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
Meanwhile, Justice Dipeolu has adjourned the matter till May 7, 2024, for further trial.
