The Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced Adrienne Munju, a 41-year-old Canadian national, to 11 years imprisonment for importing 35.20 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, otherwise known as ‘Canadian Loud,’ into Nigeria.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu, the trial judge delivered the sentence on Wednesday, granting the convict an option of a ₦50 million fine.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had charged Munju on two counts, to which she pleaded guilty.
The charges stemmed from her arrest on 3 October 2024, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. During the inward clearance of passengers on a KLM flight, NDLEA operatives discovered 74 parcels of the illicit substance concealed in two of her three bags.
Munju was arraigned on Monday, where the prosecution presented its evidence and exhibits after her guilty plea.
The judge convicted her based on her admission of guilt and the facts reviewed in court.
Defense counsel Chief Benson Ndakara pleaded for leniency, citing Munju’s remorse and her willingness to turn her life around.
He argued that the convict had been deceived into taking the risk and urged the court to consider her lack of family support in Nigeria.
After considering the plea for mercy, Justice Dipeolu sentenced Munju to six years on the first count and five years on the second count, or an alternative of a ₦50 million fine for each count.
The court ordered that both sentences and fines run concurrently.
Munju reportedly admitted to being recruited via an online platform, with a promise of 10,000 Canadian dollars upon successful delivery in Lagos.
She claimed the offer was tempting due to her financial needs for her master’s degree program in Canada.
