South African woman jailed 25 years over 5.75kg heroin

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced a South African woman, Jessica Ann, to 25 years in prison for importing 5.75kg of heroin into Nigeria.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu handed down the sentence after Ann pleaded guilty to the offence, following her arrest by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on July 6, 2026.

Ann was arrested during the inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways Flight QR1433 from Doha.

According to the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the suspect initially denied travelling with any checked-in luggage.

However, operatives discovered that two suitcases containing 14 large blocks of heroin bore baggage tags matching the claim tags attached to her passport.

“Though she initially denied travelling with check-in bags,” Babafemi said, the suspect later admitted ownership of the bags.

She reportedly told the operatives that she had forgotten she checked in the two suitcases.

The NDLEA said Ann travelled from Cambodia through Doha before arriving in Abuja.

She was subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court in August on a two-count charge of conspiracy and unlawful importation of illicit drugs.

The offences are punishable under Section 14 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

During the proceedings, Ann admitted conspiring with a South African man, Jan Coenraad De Jager, to commit the offence.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Egwuatu said the defendant had admitted committing the offence in her extrajudicial statement before entering her guilty plea.

The judge held that the law was settled that a conviction follows a guilty plea.

The prosecution subsequently urged the court to consider the street value of the seized heroin in sentencing Ann.

It told the court that one kilogramme of heroin was worth about N18m.

Ann, given an opportunity to plead for leniency, expressed remorse and promised not to engage in such an act again.

She also claimed that she did not know there were illicit drugs in the bags.

But Justice Egwuatu rejected the plea for leniency, stressing that the law could not be influenced by emotions.

“Crime does not pay and the law is not influenced by emotions,” the judge stated.

The court sentenced Ann to 15 years’ imprisonment on Count One and 25 years on Count Two.

The sentences will run concurrently, meaning she will serve a maximum of 25 years in prison.

Justice Egwuatu further ordered that the seized heroin be destroyed if the convict does not appeal within the period prescribed by law.