Nigerian man sentenced to one year imprisonment in India for possession of cocaine

A court in North Goa, India has sentenced a Nigerian man, Lucky Ekoemeye, to one year of rigorous imprisonment and fined him Rs 50,000 for being in possession of 7.8g of cocaine. 

Ekoemeye was arrested at a shack at the Morjim beach in November 2019.

Public prosecutor D Gawas sought maximum punishment and added that he was also involved in another similar offence, which was pending trial. Lucky’s advocate, A Sawant, sought a minimum sentence and fine, as he already underwent detention of 76 days in judicial custody, The Times of India reported on January 4, 2026. 

Additional sessions judge-1, North Goa, Vijaya Ambre observed that lesser punishment could be imposed on him to show deterrence against committing any further offences.

The court observed that he underwent 76 days of detention during the trial, and the quantity of narcotics found in his possession was variable. 

It also considered that there was no prior conviction against him, with the prosecution not showing any prior criminal history.

The court gave him the benefit of set-off for the period of 76 days already undergone in detention. 

He was in custody from the date of arrest, Nov 29, 2019, until Feb 12, 2020, when he was released on bail.