The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a 38-year-old South African woman, Will Jessica Ann, to 25 years in prison for unlawfully importing 5.75 kilogrammes of heroin into Nigeria.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu handed down the sentence on Thursday after Ann pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and unlawful importation of the illicit drug.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had arrested Ann on July 6 during the inward clearance of passengers aboard Qatar Airways Flight QR1433 from Doha at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
She was reportedly travelling with her three-year-old son at the time of her arrest.
According to the NDLEA, operatives initially found two suitcases containing 14 large blocks of heroin. The baggage tags on the suitcases matched the claim tags attached to Ann’s passport.
The agency said Ann initially denied travelling with checked-in luggage but later admitted ownership of the bags, claiming that she had forgotten she checked them in.
During her arraignment in August, Ann admitted to conspiring with a South African man, identified as Jan Coenraad De Jager, in connection with the offence.
She was charged under Section 14 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Court’s Ruling
In delivering judgment, Justice Egwuatu said the defendant had admitted committing the offence in her extrajudicial statement before entering her guilty plea.
The judge held that a conviction ordinarily follows a guilty plea where the facts support the charge.
The prosecution subsequently urged the court to consider the value of the seized heroin in determining the sentence, noting that one kilogramme was worth approximately N18 million.
In her plea for leniency, Ann expressed remorse and promised not to engage in drug trafficking again. She also claimed that she was unaware that the bags contained illicit drugs.
Justice Egwuatu, however, said criminal conduct could not be excused on the basis of emotions, stressing that “crime does not pay.”
The court sentenced Ann to 15 years’ imprisonment on Count One and 25 years on Count Two. The sentences are to run concurrently, meaning she will serve a total of 25 years in prison.
The judge also ordered that the seized heroin be destroyed if the convict fails to appeal within the period prescribed by law.
NDLEA Investigation
The NDLEA said intelligence gathered after Ann’s arrest indicated that she was allegedly linked to a transnational drug trafficking network operating along the Cambodian-South African route.
The agency said Ann had travelled from Cambodia through Doha before arriving in Abuja.
The case underscores ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to intercept illicit drugs being trafficked through the country’s international airports.