A 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 the drug trafficking charges brought against her by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Diaspora Digital Media reports that Ann, was arrested on July 6 during the inward clearance of passengers aboard Qatar Airways Flight QR1433 from Doha at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
According to the NDLEA, she was travelling with her three-year-old son when operatives discovered the drugs in two suitcases linked to her.
The agency said the bags contained 14 large blocks of heroin with a combined weight of 5.75 kilogrammes.
Initially, Ann denied travelling with any checked luggage. However, NDLEA operatives reportedly established that the baggage tags on the two suitcases matched the claim tags attached to her passport.
She subsequently admitted ownership of the bags, claiming that she had forgotten she checked them in.
The agency said Ann told investigators that she had travelled from Cambodia through Doha before arriving in Abuja.
However, during her arraignment in August, she admitted conspiring with a South African man identified as Jan Coenraad De Jager to import the drugs into Nigeria.
She was charged with conspiracy and unlawful importation, offences punishable under Section 14 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Court convicts woman after guilty plea
While delivering judgment, Justice Egwuatu said Ann had admitted committing the offence in her extra-judicial statement before entering her guilty plea in court.
The judge held that the law provides that a conviction follows where a defendant pleads guilty to a criminal charge.
Following the conviction, the prosecution urged the court to consider the street value of the heroin while determining the sentence.
The prosecution told the court that one kilogramme of heroin was worth about N18 million.
Ann was subsequently given an opportunity to plead for leniency.
In her plea, she expressed remorse and promised not to engage in such an act again. She also claimed that she did not know there were illicit drugs inside the bags.
However, the court sentenced her to 15 years imprisonment on Count One and 25 years on Count Two.
The sentences will run concurrently, meaning Ann will serve a maximum of 25 years in prison.
Justice Egwuatu stressed that the law could not be influenced by emotions, adding that “crime does not pay.”
The judge also ordered that the seized heroin be destroyed if the convict does not appeal within the period allowed by law.
The NDLEA said the case highlights its continued efforts to intercept illicit drugs entering Nigeria through international airports and other entry points.
