RismadarVoice Reporters
September 17, 2026
The 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 drug trafficking offence.
The heroin was reportedly brought into Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency prosecuted Ann before the Federal High Court, where she admitted importing the prohibited substance into the country on July 6.
During the proceedings, the convict, who appeared in court with her three-year-old son, reportedly broke down in tears and appealed to the court for leniency.
In his ruling, however, Justice Egwuatu stressed that the law must be applied irrespective of emotional considerations.
The judge noted that the defendant had also admitted committing the offence in a statement made to law enforcement authorities before entering her guilty plea in court.
He held that the law was settled that a guilty plea to a criminal charge could form the basis for conviction where the essential elements of the offence were established.
The court consequently convicted Ann and sentenced her to 25 years’ imprisonment.
