ActionSA's Herman Mashaba Commends Nigeria for Drug Trafficker's Sentence

Herman Mashaba, the president of ActionSA and a candidate for the Johannesburg mayoral position, praised Nigeria for sentencing South African citizen Will Jessica Ann to 40 years in prison for drug trafficking. Ann, aged 38, was convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja for importing 5.75kg of heroin into Nigeria.

She was arrested on July 6, 2026, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport after 14 large blocks of heroin were discovered in her luggage. Ann had traveled from Cambodia through Doha and was linked to a drug trafficking organization with her husband, Jan Coenraad De Jager.

She pleaded guilty to two counts: importation and conspiracy to import heroin. Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwuatu sentenced her to 15 years for the first count and 25 years for the second, with the sentences running concurrently.

Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, Chairman of the NDLEA, stated that the conviction reflects the judiciary's commitment to combating drug trafficking and that Nigeria would not be a haven for international drug cartels.