2kg coke smuggling Nigerian pastor in court

The Nigerian pastor arrested in October for attempting to bring over 2kgs of cocaine into the country via the Victoria Falls International Airport i has appeared in court.

https://zimbabwenow.co.zw/articles/805/police-bust-another-drug-mule-at-vic-falls

Acting on a tip off, on October 22, 2022, police arrested Desmond Onyii Onuoha, 46, of Lagos, Nigeria after finding his luggage contained 2330 grams of cocaine with a street value of ZWL$126 752 000.

In his appearance before regional magistrate, Mr Collet Ncube facing drug trafficking and possession charges following his arrest, Onuoha denied the charges.

The state case as laid out in court proceedings says police received intelligence that Onuoha, who was suspected to be carrying drugs, had departed Brazil and on his way to Zimbabwe via Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia.

Onuoha had used a Nigerian passport number B50060514 and was on-board an Ethiopian Airways ET0829.

The police intercepted Onuoha after he checked in at Victoria Falls International Airport under a Ghanaian passport number G0559957.

A luggage search revealed white gel substance wrapped in cellophane stashed in the linings of hats and jackets.

Police conducted a preliminary drug test in Onuoha’s presence and the substance tested positive for cocaine.

In his defense, Onuoha stated that he had no knowledge of the drugs as the bag containing the cocaine belonged to someone else and he was simply delivering it on request.

“I’m a pastor in Nigeria and so I announced in church that I was travelling to Zimbabwe to see my mother-in-law for paying lobola in Bulawayo. I have been legally married to her since February of this year.

“One of my congregants then approached me and asked me to drop a bag for someone at Victoria Falls Airport since I had indicated that I would pass through there to see a friend.

“I don’t know anything about the bag especially its contents let alone the mentioned drugs. I was surprised when the police searched the bags and found drugs,” said Onuoha.

The defense produced a marriage certificate to support Onuoha’s assertion. The state objected to the said marriage certificate being accepted as evidence, saying that they had not had a chance to verify its authenticity.

Onuoha’s trial continues this week.

Victoria Falls International Airport appears to have become a point in an international drug smuggling corridor.

In October a woman was arrested with more than 9kgs of cocaine with a street value of around half a million US dollars.

It has been previously pointed out that the airport is not well equipped for spotting drug trafficking as there are only four sniffer dogs and the cameras and scan equipment are specific for air travel security checks and have no capacity to detect drugs.