Canadian lady, jailed 11 years for importing 35.20kg cannabis

The Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced 41-year-old Canadian citizen Adrienne Munju to 11 years in prison for importing 35.20 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, commonly known as Canadian Loud, into Nigeria.

Judge Dehinde Dipeolu delivered the sentence on Wednesday, also offering an alternative fine of N100 million on two counts brought against her by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Munju pleaded guilty to both charges.

During her arraignment, prosecutor Mr. Abu Ibrahim informed the court that Munju had imported the cannabis without legal authorization on or around October 3, 2024, while going through customs at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos after arriving on a KLM flight.

Ibrahim stated that her actions violated Section 20(1)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, which is punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the same law.

After her guilty plea, the prosecution indicated its readiness to present the case details, and a witness was called to provide evidence and submit pertinent exhibits. Ibrahim urged the court to convict Munju based on the available evidence and her admission of guilt.

Upon reviewing the facts, Justice Dipeolu convicted Munju as charged. Her defense attorney, Benson Ndakara, along with colleagues Dennis Warri and Kate Igbo, appealed for leniency, emphasizing that Munju had accepted responsibility early in the proceedings and expressed remorse.

Ndakara argued that Munju had been misled into taking such risks and requested a fine instead of imprisonment, highlighting that she had no family or support in Nigeria.

In response, Justice Dipeolu sentenced Munju to six years for the first count and five years for the second, allowing for a fine option of N50 million for each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.

Munju was apprehended by NDLEA agents on October 3, 2024, when she was found with 74 packages of the potent synthetic cannabis during the customs inspection of her luggage after arriving from Canada. She later stated that she had been recruited via an online platform to smuggle the drugs for a payment of 10,000 Canadian dollars, which she needed to fund her Master’s degree studies in Canada.O