2 Brazilian women convicted of drug smuggling sentenced to 10 years prison

Addis Ababa, December 22, 2022 (FBC) – Two Brazilian women who were arrested for smuggling cocaine at different times have reportedly been handed 10 years prison sentence and fined with 20,000 Birr each.

According to the prosecutor’s case file, Elda Regina Santos, a Brazilian defendant, originally from São Paulo, Brazil, was arrested when she tried to board for Johannesburg, South Africa, on September 26, 2015.

The prosecutor charged her with the crime of drug trafficking, and she appeared in the Federal High Court Lideta Bench serious cross-border crime trial and the charges were read to her. Hence, she pleaded guilty of the crimes she was charged with.

The prosecutor asked for a guilty verdict based on what she pleaded without the need to present evidence and the court gave a guilty verdict because the defendant has pleaded in detail under the provisions of the charge.

The FDRE Ministry of Justice confirmed on social media post that the court sentenced the defendant to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 20,000 birr.

Meanwhile, Nadira Gabriela, who was arrested with 14,412 grams of cocaine in a suitcase, was also handed 10 years of prison sentenced and fined with 20,000 Birr for drug smuggling.

According to the FDRE Ministry of Justice, 533 packets of cocaine drug was seized in her luggage while she was transiting at the Bole International Airlines on August 30, 2022 to travel to South Africa from Sao Paulo, Brazil.