Nigerian PGD Student In Australia Set To Face Long Time In Jail After He Was Caught With Drugs

Date: 05-10-2017 10:10 am (6 years ago) | Author: CLARA JANCITA
- at 5-10-2017 10:10 AM (6 years ago)
(f)

Drugs worth N3.6 billion imported by a Nigerian student in Australia which could have had 'calamitous consequences' if sold in the community, will lead to the sentencing of the young man as date for his trial has been set.  An Australian court will sentence a Nigerian post-graduate student, Jackson Igwebuike on 25 October, after he was found guilty of importing methamphetamine worth $10million to Canberra.
 
The drug, worth N3.6billion was imported by  Igwebuike to Canberra in ornate golden fish statues in October 2015, but  alert security men intercepted the drugs and substituted the ice before  he collected the parcel.
The drug could have had “calamitous consequences” if sold in the community, federal prosecutors told the court. Lawyers for the 34 year-old Nigerian, a graduate of University of Benin,  agreed he acted as “more than just a mere courier” when he accepted delivery of about 8.47 grams of pure ice before he attempted to board a Murrays bus to Sydney with the drugs in his bag.
 
An ACT Supreme Court jury found him guilty of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug in August. Igwebuike was caught in a police sting after Australian Border Force officers intercepted packages destined for Canberra in October 2015. His trial heard the drugs were discovered when three 20 kilogram statues that arrived in a shipping crate from China were X-rayed by officers at Port Botany on October 8. Inside one statue of a fish they found 43 packages that contained a combined total of 10.58 kilograms of methamphetamine.
One of the golden statuettes where the meth was concealed
 
Federal police had swapped the drugs with an “inert substance” before the fish statue was put back together and repacked. Taps of Igwebuike’s phones picked up communication between the accused and another man in Igbo and with a freight company based in Sydney. Prosecutors said Igwebuike used the name “Solomon David” and asked the company for the package to be delivered to an address in Kaleen. Undercover police later watched as the packages were delivered to the address and collected by Igwebuike, who took them to a second address in the same suburb.
 
In a phone conversation with another man soon after, Igwebuike discussed transport and meeting places in Sydney. He was arrested as he stood in a queue at the Jolimont Centre for a Murrays bus to Sydney on October 17.
Police seized a suitcase filled with 43 packages of the drug substitute. Igwebuike said he hadn’t known the statues had been filled with drugs. He said he’d been approached by two men in a carpark and asked to pick up some decorative glass items. Those men later showed up at his house after he had collected the parcels and broke the statues open, before threatening to kill his wife and destroy him if he didn’t take the drugs to Sydney, he said.
 
Commonwealth prosecutor Edward Chen told a sentence hearing on Tuesday that Igwebuike had maintained he had been doing a favour for a friend and wouldn’t admit he committed the crime for profit
Quote
“The offender does not seem to demonstrate any willingness to accept responsibility for his actions,”
he said.
 
Defence barrister James Sabharwal said Igwebuike had come to Australia to study at the University of Canberra and the fact he would not now be able to complete his postgraduate studies was a form of punishment. Mr Sabharwal said Igwebuike had worked in the kitchen at the territory’s jail and used his income to make phone calls to his large family, including his wife, in Nigeria.
Igwebuike, who didn’t “quite gel” with other inmates and was often alone, had been in custody since his arrest and could be deported when he was released, the court heard.
 
Mr Sabharwal said there was no evidence Igwebuike would have benefited from a large amount of money from his involvement. Acting Chief Justice Hilary Penfold said some comments in a letter Igwebuike had written to the court, which indicated he did accept some responsibility, raised questions as to why he maintained his innocence to a pre-sentence report author.


Posted: at 5-10-2017 10:10 AM (6 years ago) | Hero
- ruthie at 5-10-2017 10:28 AM (6 years ago)
(f)
Nigerians and crime!!!!!! shameful...
Posted: at 5-10-2017 10:28 AM (6 years ago) | Hero
Reply
- chylind5 at 5-10-2017 11:14 AM (6 years ago)
(f)
This guy was my course mate in Uniben, look at what he got himself into. So pathetic.
Posted: at 5-10-2017 11:14 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Reply
- ruthie at 5-10-2017 11:38 AM (6 years ago)
(f)
Quote from: chylind5 on  5-10-2017 11:14 AM
This guy was my course mate in Uniben, look at what he got himself into. So pathetic.
too bad
Posted: at 5-10-2017 11:38 AM (6 years ago) | Hero
Reply
- Keffejude at 5-10-2017 11:59 AM (6 years ago)
(m)
1bebigboy lol if he had invested such amount in bitcoins n oda crypto currencies he still would HV become a successful billionaire
Posted: at 5-10-2017 11:59 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Reply
- ikpotokin at 5-10-2017 12:15 PM (6 years ago)
(m)
IGBO AND MONEY. THEY ARE SO GREEDY AND THEY CAN DO ANYTHING FOR MONEY. BOTH THE OLD AND THE YOUNG ONES ARE ALL THE SAME. I HATE THEM WITH PASSION.
Posted: at 5-10-2017 12:15 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Reply
- officynero at 5-10-2017 02:11 PM (6 years ago)
(m)
you're a disgrace to Nigeria
Posted: at 5-10-2017 02:11 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Reply
- CHRISETTE at 5-10-2017 02:12 PM (6 years ago)
(f)
Some making us proud, while some are just full of shit
Posted: at 5-10-2017 02:12 PM (6 years ago) | Hero
Reply
- nonsovin at 5-10-2017 02:42 PM (6 years ago)
(m)
Quote from: ikpotokin on  5-10-2017 12:15 PM
IGBO AND MONEY. THEY ARE SO GREEDY AND THEY CAN DO ANYTHING FOR MONEY. BOTH THE OLD AND THE YOUNG ONES ARE ALL THE SAME. I HATE THEM WITH PASSION.
u must be very STUPID and SENSELESS for commenting on Igbos GENERICALLY !!
Posted: at 5-10-2017 02:42 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Reply
- Ikenna15 at 5-10-2017 07:41 PM (6 years ago)
(m)
Quote from: ikpotokin on  5-10-2017 12:15 PM
IGBO AND MONEY. THEY ARE SO GREEDY AND THEY CAN DO ANYTHING FOR MONEY. BOTH THE OLD AND THE YOUNG ONES ARE ALL THE SAME. I HATE THEM WITH PASSION.

Mehn that one concern you ooo.
Posted: at 5-10-2017 07:41 PM (6 years ago) | Upcoming
Reply
- fineboy77 at 5-10-2017 08:32 PM (6 years ago)
Online (m)
Quote from: ikpotokin on  5-10-2017 12:15 PM
IGBO AND MONEY. THEY ARE SO GREEDY AND THEY CAN DO ANYTHING FOR MONEY. BOTH THE OLD AND THE YOUNG ONES ARE ALL THE SAME. I HATE THEM WITH PASSION.
even Satan hates you,and will always attack you

Posted: at 5-10-2017 08:32 PM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero
Reply
- BournIdentity at 6-10-2017 04:38 AM (6 years ago)
(m)
Roll Eyes                                                                         
Posted: at 6-10-2017 04:38 AM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero
Reply
- BournIdentity at 6-10-2017 05:28 AM (6 years ago)
(m)
Just negodu,, but mortuary attendant nonsovin y ur mumu lyf bi lyk this?,
Posted: at 6-10-2017 05:28 AM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero
Reply

fire TRENDING GISTS fire

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