Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a 38-year-old South African woman, Will Jessica Ann, to 25 years in prison for smuggling 5.75 kilograms of heroin into Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The sentence was handed down on Thursday after Ann pleaded guilty to unlawfully importing the illicit substance, as charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Despite entering the courtroom in tears, accompanied by her three-year-old son, and pleading for leniency, Justice Egwuatu emphasized that Nigerian law is unwavering and emotions cannot override justice.
The judge noted that Ann had already confessed to the offence in her extrajudicial statement and reiterated that a guilty plea mandates a conviction under the law. Accordingly, the court found her guilty and imposed the 25-year sentence.
