For being involved in a conspiracy, unlawful storage and illegal export of donkey genitals, a Chinese national, Zheng Di, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment.
Zheng Di was sent to prison by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos after finding him guilty of the charge made against him by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).
Zheng Di was arraigned by the NCS wherein the lawyer for the prosecution, Michael Osong, told the court that the convicted Chinese committed the illegal act on August 2, 2023, at the SAHCOL Export Warehouse of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Osong equally notified Justice Lewis-Allagoa that the convict committed the offence with a Nigerian named Famakinwa Samson Funmi and some others, who are now at large.
The prosecution counsel insisted that the convicted Chinese, when arrested, falsely claimed in Waybill number 0714869 2070 and other declaration documents, that what he warehoused was cow penis which he intended to export and not donkey genitals which were prohibited.
Osong told the court that the offence contravened Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Sections 150(1)(b) and 150(2)(c) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and punishable under Section 150(1)(b)(i) of the same Act.
However, consequent upon the convict’s guilty plea, the prosecutor prayed to the judge to convict and sentence the convicted Zheng Di accordingly.
But counsel for the defence prayed to the trial judge for mercy, insisting that his client was a first-time offender.
The defence counsel hinted to the court that his client had promised not to be involved in any form of crime if provided another opportunity.
He pleaded with the court to consider a non-custodial sentence or fine option in lieu of the custodial sentence.
Handing down his judgment, Justice Lewis-Allagoa who sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment, gave the convict the option to pay a fine in the sum of N500,000.00 in lieu of the jail term.
