Couple To Enjoy 22 Years In Prison For Drug Trafficking

A businessman Ajah Johnson Uchenna and his wife Rosemary Uchenna were on Monday, 4th August 2025 sentenced to a total of 22 and a half years imprisonment by Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court 8 in Lagos for dealing in illicit drugs.

The couple was first arrested on Friday, 13th June by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Ojo area of the state and transferred to NDLEA along with 277.5kg skunk, a strain of cannabis.

While they were still being investigated in custody, credible intelligence revealed that the family business was going on in their house.

This led to a raid of their home and a packing store where 231kg of same substance was recovered by NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 1st July.

They were subsequently arraigned in charge number FHC/L/632C/2025 at the Federal High Court Lagos on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, dealing and storage of 414.2 kilograms of cannabis sativa.

Delivering his judgement on the case on Monday 4th August, Justice Dipeolu convicted Mrs.
Rosemary Uchenna on counts 1, 2, and 3 and sentenced her to 17 years in prison without an option of fine, while her husband Johnson Ajah Uchenna was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment without option of fine on count 1 and six months in jail on count 4 with an option of N1 million fine.

In addition to the jail terms, the trial judge also ordered the sum of ₦3, 407,000.00 only recovered from the couple as proceeds of crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.

Reacting to the conviction and forfeiture court judgements, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the various commands of the Agency, their officers and men that handled the various cases as well as the judiciary for delivering prompt judgements to strengthen the deterrent effect of NDLEA efforts.

“Nothing serves the cause of justice more than when the criminal elements are given long jail terms and made to forfeit all they have acquired through the proceeds of their illicit drug trade, and we’re happy with this kind of judicial pronouncements, which will not only encourage our men to do more but will have long lasting impact on our drug control efforts”, Marwa stated.