By Ado Oyeyemi
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a 38-year-old South African woman, Will Jessica Ann, to 25 years in prison for importing 5.75 kilogrammes of heroin into Nigeria.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu handed down the sentence on Thursday following the convict’s guilty plea to the drug trafficking charge brought against her by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
The offence was committed after the prohibited substance was brought into Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Ann had pleaded guilty to unlawfully importing the 5.75kg of heroin into the country on July 6.
The convict, who appeared in court with her three-year-old son, reportedly broke down in tears and pleaded with the court for mercy.
However, Justice Egwuatu said the law had to take its course, stressing that Nigerian law could not be applied based on emotions.
The judge held that the defendant had already admitted committing the offence in her extra-judicial statement before entering her guilty plea in court.
He noted that the law was settled that a conviction ordinarily follows where a defendant pleads guilty to a criminal charge.
Justice Egwuatu consequently convicted Ann and sentenced her to 25 years’ imprisonment for the offence.
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The case was prosecuted by the NDLEA, which arraigned the South African national before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the illicit drug importation.
