A Chinese National, Tianzhen Ye, has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to urgently admit him to bail to enable him to get medical treatment for cancer.
Ye, through his counsel, Mary Dibuazie, asked trial judge, Justice Deinde Dipeolu, to commute his two-year prison sentence for dealing in narcotic drugs to an option of fine.
He was arrested in November 2024, charged before the court in December of the same year, and pleaded guilty at his arraignment in January 2025.
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Following his conviction and remand at the Ikoyi correctional centre, the Chinese national said he subsequently discovered that he was suffering from cancer of the blood and lungs, and his life was in danger.
In documents put before the court, the Chinese national said he had been to several hospitals, including the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Idiaraba, Federal Medical Center, Yaba, as well as the Military Hospital in Ikoyi, Lagos.
He also submitted that the Ikoyi Custodial Facility had spent up to N5 million on his ill health since his incarceration and could no longer continue to spend such just on one person, as there are over 3,500 inmates in custody to be catered for.
Pending the hearing of his application asking the court to commute his prison sentence to a fine, the Chinese also pleaded with the court to admit him to bail, claiming that he had never been previously convicted of any offence.
Justice Dipeolu noted that the application was not ripe for hearing as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had yet to respond to the same.
The court adjourned until May 28 for the hearing of the application.
Background
In December 2024, the NDLEA charged the Chinese national before the court alongside another Emmanuel Yakubu for conspiring to transport 750 grams of Ketamine, a narcotic drug similar to cocaine, heroin, and LSD.
Ye was also alleged to have dealt in 3.9g of the same substance as well as one gram of Methamphetamine.
The offence was said to have been committed in November 2024.
Count one of the charge read, “That you EMMANUEL MARK YAKUBU, Male, Adult, and TIANZHEN YE, Male, Adult, on or about the 21st day of November 2024, at the Gbayi checkpoint, Badagry Expressway, Lagos state, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority, conspired to transport 750 grams of Ketamine, a narcotic drug similar to Cocaine, Heroin, and LSD, and thereby committed an offence provided for and punishable under Section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, (LFN) 2004.”
At their arraignment in January 2025, they both pleaded guilty.
While his Nigerian accomplice was sentenced to six months imprisonment or a N2 million fine for conspiracy, the Chinese was sentenced to a N2 million fine or six months imprisonment for conspiracy but bagged a two-year jail term without any option of fine for dealing in drugs.
