Drug trafficking: Court sentences South African woman to 25 yrs in prison

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced a 38-year-old South African woman, Will Ann, to 25 years’ imprisonment for smuggling 5.75kg of heroin into Nigeria.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a judgment, held that Nigerian law does not respect emotions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ann was arrested when she trafficked the substance through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had, in August, arraigned Ann before the court where she pleaded guilty to unlawfully importing 5.75 kilogrammes of heroin into the country on July 6.

The NDLEA revealed that the woman was arrested in July while travelling with her three-year-old son.

She was arrested during an inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways Flight QR1433, arriving from Doha.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Egwuatu held that prior to her guilty plea, the defendant had admitted to committing the offence in her extrajudicial statement.

The judge said that the law is settled that a conviction follows a plea of guilty.

Justice Egwuatu consequently convicted her of the offence.

Following her conviction, the prosecution urged the court to factor in the cost of 1kg of heroin, which is worth about N18 million, in sentencing her.

Ann, however, begged the court to temper justice with mercy.

She promised never to engage in such an act again.

She also said she was remorseful and did not know there were illicit drugs in the bag.

After hearing from the parties and considering the defendant’s plea for leniency, the judge said “crime does not pay” and that the law is not influenced by “emotions.”

The judge consequently sentenced her to 15 years’ imprisonment in Count 1 and 25 years’ imprisonment in Count 2.

He ordered that the sentences shall run concurrently.

The judge also ruled that if the convict does not appeal within the prescribed period allowed by law, the heroin should be destroyed.