A 41-year-old Canadian lady, Adrienne Munju, has been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos state for importing 74 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of synthetic cannabis weighing 35.20 kilograms into Nigeria.
The spokesman of the anti-narcotic agency Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement on Wednesday,
Munju’s conviction followed her arraignment on two counts charge before Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of a Federal High Court, Lagos by the NDLEA
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu also offered Munju an alternative of paying a N100 million fine in lieu of the prison sentence.
The charges stemmed from her illegal importation of the cannabis, which was discovered on October 3, 2024, during the inward clearance of passengers on a KLM flight at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The NDLEA prosecutor, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, informed the court that Munju had violated Section 20(1)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, which is punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the same Act.
Ibrahim presented evidence and exhibits before the court, urging Justice Dipeolu to convict Munju based on her guilty plea and the materials submitted.
In response, the judge found Munju guilty as charged and handed down the sentence.
During the proceedings, Munju’s defense counsel, Benson Ndakara, alongside Dennis Warri and Kate Igbo, pleaded for leniency, urging the court to show mercy on the convict.
“We plead for leniency on behalf of the convict, my Lord.
“The convict pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity by not wasting the precious time of the court and has been very remorseful,” he said.
Ndakara added that the convict had vowed never to toe the path of criminality again and to be more careful in the future if given a second chance.
