Sunday Joshua, also known as De General
Court convicts comedian De General, others of drug trafficking, declines sentencing
Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted a comedian and skit maker, Joshua Sunday, popularly called ‘De General’, for unlawful possession of 14 grams of Tramadol and cannabis sativa.
Also convicted alongside the 22-year-old comedian, is Caleb Ojana William, who was accused of unlawful possession of 15grams of cannabis sativa.
It would be re called that operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in the early hours of Wednesday, January 12, arrested popular skit maker, Sunday Joshua, also known as De General on social media, following a raid carried out on a notorious drug joint at Orchid Estate, Lekki area of Lagos.
Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement, said the agency acted on ‘credible intelligence.’
“Narcotic officers stormed the drug joint in the estate, where three suspects were arrested with illicit drugs including 200 sachets of 225mg Tramadol and 1.5kilograms of cannabis sativa.
“In the course of the operation, some persons including the suspected dealer ran away with bags suspected to contain exhibits.
“A trail showed they ran into a house located at 2B Saula Akinlolu way, Orchid Estate, which is the residence of 22-year-old Sunday Joshua (aka, De General).
“The young men started to make noise to prevent a search. The operatives introduced themselves as officers of NDLEA and submitted themselves for search before entry. This was done and a search was conducted.
“The search led to the recovery of drug exhibits including cannabis sativa; Tramadol 225mg, and some paraphernalia for drug use. This was after the suspect had requested to record on video the search, which the officers out of sense of civility allowed. The video trending on social media was the moment the suspect and his friends decided to disrupt the bid to conduct a search of the house.
“In his confessional statement in custody, the suspect admitted ownership of the drugs recovered from his house,” said the NDLEA.
Delivering judgement, Monday, Justice Daniel Osiagor convicted the two men after they pleaded guilty to a count each of unlawful possession of the banned substance, made against them by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The NDLEA prosecutor had told the court that the offences committed by the convicts 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.
The prosecutor also urged the court to sentence the two men as prescribed by section 356(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, having pleaded guilty to the charge.
However, in his ruling, Justice Osiagor declined to sentence the convicts.
He cautioned them ‘to go and sin no more’.
