₦airaland Forum

A 37-year-old Nigerian man has been sentenced to six years in prison after admitting to importing more than a kilogram of heroin into Malta by swallowing 104 drug-filled capsules.

Ruby Okeoma entered a guilty plea to charges of heroin importation and possession of the drug in circumstances showing it was not for personal use.

The court heard that Okeoma was stopped on 31 December 2022 while arriving in Malta from Brussels on flight KM421.

Initial inspections at Malta International Airport did not uncover any drugs on his person or in his luggage. However, after he was taken to Mater Dei Hospital, it emerged that he had a substantial number of capsules concealed inside his body.

Court appointed expert Gilbert Mercieca confirmed that the capsules contained a mixture of heroin, paracetamol and caffeine. The court found that the capsules had a 12% heroin purity, weighed about 1.035kg in total, and had an estimated street value of €48,634.

The court noted heroin is listed as a dangerous drug under Maltese law and that Okeoma had no licence or legal authorisation to import or possess it.

In relation to the second charge, the court said the quantity of heroin and the circumstances of the case clearly showed that the drug was not intended for Okeoma’s exclusive personal use.

Okeoma admitted that he had been given the drugs by someone in Brussels and was supposed to meet another individual in Malta in order to hand them over.

The charges included the possibility of life imprisonment however the case was resolved through a plea agreement between the prosecution and the defence.

In a joint application filed on 20 February 2026, the parties asked the court to impose a sentence of six years’ imprisonment and a €20,000 fine.

At a hearing on 6 March 2026, Okeoma, assisted by legal counsel, formally admitted the charges.

After taking into account the early guilty plea, the facts of the case, the quantity and nature of the drug involved, and previous Maltese case law on sentencing where an accused pleads guilty at an early stage, the court decided to adopt the punishment requested by the parties.

Okeoma was therefore found guilty of both illegally importing heroin into Malta and possessing heroin not intended for personal use.

He was sentenced to six years in prison, with the period already spent in preventive custody to be deducted from that term. He was also fined €20,000, with the court ordering that if the fine is not paid, it will be converted into a prison term according to law.

In addition, the court ordered Okeoma to pay €3,040.48 in expert costs, to be paid within one month.

The court further ordered the forfeiture to the Government of Malta of all items connected to the offences and all movable and immovable property belonging to the convicted man.

The drugs exhibited in the proceedings are to be destroyed once the judgment becomes final.

iamfraud:
The total number of Nigerians in prisons around the world can conveniently send Tinubu back to Bourdillon before noon in 2027

Judolisco:
Omoooo... And na dis people dey call president drug baron pass

saddler:
Those of you who have something to say but dont want to be banned and your post hidden, please gather here

iamfraud:
It seems Malta 🇲🇹 is the next destination after India 🇮🇳

anonimi:
Petrol should never cost more than N70 per litre, says APC

January 19, 2015

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as mere tokenism the reduction of petrol price from N97 to N87 per litre, saying the petroleum product ordinarily should sell for N70.

On Sunday, the federal government announced the reduction of petrol price, citing the fall of global crude oil price.

But the APC through Lai Mohammed, its spokesman, on Monday accused the government of making a show out of deceit, saying “a 10.3 per cent slash in the price of petrol was a mere tokenism at a time the price of crude oil has crashed by about 60 per cent”.

It argued that the pump price of a litre of petrol should not be more than 70 Naira, alleging that at N87 per litre, the government was forcing Nigerians to subsidise the massive corruption in the oil sector by N17 for every litre of fuel.

https://www.thecable.ng/petrol-never-cost-n70-per-litre-says-apc/

Judolisco:
Omoooo... And na dis people dey call president drug baron pass

Richtaiwo:
I'm one of them. Nairaland has not been fair. Even mentioning his name alone will attract ban.

mrvitalis:
Future president of Nigeria