South African Woman Sentenced to 25 Years in Nigeria for 5.75kg Heroin Importation

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 charges brought against her by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Ann was arrested on July 6 during the inward clearance of passengers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after arriving on Qatar Airways Flight QR1433 from Doha.

According to the NDLEA, Ann was travelling with her three-year-old son when operatives intercepted her. The agency said she initially denied having any checked-in luggage.

Operatives, however, reportedly discovered two suitcases containing 14 large blocks of heroin. The baggage tags on the suitcases matched the claim tags attached to Ann’s passport.

The NDLEA said Ann subsequently admitted that the bags belonged to her, claiming that she had forgotten she checked them in.

The agency also said she told investigators that she had travelled from Cambodia through Doha before arriving in Abuja.

Ann was arraigned in August on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and unlawful importation of the illicit drug. During the proceedings, she pleaded guilty to the charges.

In his judgment, Justice Egwuatu said Ann had also admitted committing the offence in an extrajudicial statement before entering her guilty plea.

The prosecution told the court that the seized heroin had an estimated street value of about N18 million per kilogramme and urged the judge to consider the value while determining the appropriate sentence.

Ann was allowed to plead for leniency before sentencing. She expressed remorse, promised not to engage in such an act again and said she did not know there were illicit drugs in the bags.

Justice Egwuatu subsequently sentenced her to 15 years’ imprisonment on Count One and 25 years on Count Two, with both sentences to run concurrently.

She will therefore serve a maximum of 25 years in prison.

The judge also ordered that the seized heroin should be destroyed if Ann does not appeal the judgment within the period prescribed by law.

The NDLEA said Ann later admitted to conspiring with a South African man identified as Jan Coenraad De Jager in connection with the offence.

The charges were brought under Section 14 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.