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 following the convict’s guilty plea to the charge brought against her by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The court heard that Ann imported the illicit drug through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on July 6, 2026.
The convict, who appeared in court with her three-year-old son, reportedly wept and pleaded with the court for clemency. However, Justice Egwuatu held that the law must take its course, stressing that Nigerian law does not recognise emotions in determining criminal liability.
The judge said the defendant had admitted committing the offence in her extra-judicial statement before entering her guilty plea in court.
According to him, the law is settled that where a defendant pleads guilty to a criminal charge, the court is required to convict on the plea, subject to the facts supporting the charge.
Justice Egwuatu subsequently convicted Ann and sentenced her to 25 years imprisonment.
The case underscores the stringent penalties imposed under Nigerian law for the unlawful importation and trafficking of dangerous drugs.
