A 41-year-old Canadian, Adrienne Munju, was yesterday sentenced to 11 years imprisonment or a fine of N50 million for importing 35.20 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, into Nigeria.

Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, delivered the sentence after Munju pleaded guilty to a two-count charge brought against her by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

According to the charges, Munju imported the cannabis on October 3, 2024, during the inward clearance of passengers from a KLM flight at the ‘D’ Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos, without lawful authorisation.

This action violated Section 20(1)(a) of the NDLEA Act and is punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the same Act. NDLEA prosecutor Abu Ibrahim presented the charges at the court hearing, and Munju pleaded guilty.

The prosecutor reviewed the facts of the case, calling a witness to testify and tender relevant evidence, including exhibits. After reviewing the evidence and Munju’s guilty plea, the court found her guilty.

In his allocution, Munju’s defence counsel, Chief Benson Ndakara, alongside his team, pleaded for leniency, explaining that the convict had been deceived into taking the high-risk venture.

Ndakara urged the court to consider a fine rather than imprisonment, as Munju had no family or acquaintances in Nigeria and had been abandoned by everyone.

After considering the plea for mercy, Justice Dipeolu sentenced Munju to six years imprisonment on the first and five years on the second counts. However, the judge allowed an option of a N50 million fine for each count, with both sentences and fines to run concurrently.