A professional surety, Jude Okpala, who assisted a drug baron, Okpala Mathew Emmy, in escaping from custody, was sentenced to two years imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) brought charges against the fugitive drug baron, Okpala Mathew Emmy, in a case with charge No: FHC/L/217c/10. Ekpanisi, the convict, stood as a surety for him after he was granted bail by the court.
Despite being granted bail, the drug baron evaded court proceedings, refusing to face trial. Subsequently, the NDLEA apprehended the convicted professional surety, charging him with two counts related to aiding and abetting (charge marked FHC/L/123c/2014).
During the hearing on Thursday, the prosecutor presented a two-count charge against the professional surety, requesting the court to read the charges to him. After reviewing the case’s facts, the prosecutor urged the court to convict the defendant based on his guilty plea and the evidence presented.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo, in his ruling, convicted the surety as charged. Following Okpala’s conviction, his counsel, Benson Ndakara, appealed for mercy, emphasizing that he was a first-time offender who promptly pleaded guilty.
Considering the convict’s plea, Justice Oweibo sentenced the professional surety to two years imprisonment and imposed a fine of N60,000 in lieu of the jail term.
