Court jails businessman, Megwalu Bob-Manuel four years for 8.3kg drug export

A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced businessman and Chief Executive Officer of G Care Pharm Limited, Megwalu Chukwudi Bob-Manuel, to four years in prison for the unlawful procurement and attempted exportation of 8.30kg of Raphnol, a psychotropic substance under international control.

Justice Akintayo Aluko handed down the sentence after Bob-Manuel pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful procurement and exportation of the controlled substance.

The court ordered that the four-year terms on the two counts run concurrently and take effect from the date of his arrest.

The prosecutor, Arit N. Okon, told the court that the offences were committed on 24 July 2026 at the NAHCO Export Shed, a Customs area of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

According to the prosecution, the convict procured two individuals, identified as Justina of Tina Travels Service Limited and Anosie Ebube of Fair Express, to facilitate the exportation of the drug to Nairobi, Kenya.

He was also accused of attempting to personally export the substance without lawful authority.

The offences contravened Sections 21(2)(c) and 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Following his guilty plea, the prosecution reviewed the facts and tendered the exhibits before asking the court to convict and sentence him.

Defence counsel, Benson Ndakara, urged the court to temper justice with mercy, describing his client as a first-time offender who had saved the court’s time by pleading guilty.

He also requested a non-custodial sentence.

Justice Aluko, after considering the circumstances of the case, including the quantity of the controlled substance and the mitigation presented by the defence, sentenced Bob-Manuel to four years on each count.

The judge, however, granted an option of a N1 million fine in lieu of imprisonment, following the defence counsel’s plea