A 53-year-old Nigerian national has been sentenced to eight years in prison after admitting to importing nearly one kilogram of cocaine into Malta in capsule form.
Stanley
Anayo Chukwu Chukwukere, who has no fixed address, was convicted after pleading
guilty to a series of serious drug offences.
Charges Faced by the Accused
Chukwukere
faced four main charges:
Conspiring with others locally or abroad to import and traffic cocaine
Importing, or preparing to import, cocaine without authorisation
Possessing cocaine in circumstances indicating it was not for personal use
Supplying or offering to supply the drug to others without a licence
Arrest at Malta International Airport
Chukwukere was arrested at Malta International Airport shortly after arriving on a flight from Brussels on 2 July 2025. Police, customs officers, and airport officials conducted a joint operation targeting arriving passengers. Chukwukere, who was carrying only a small bag, was flagged for further checks.
While
a search of his person and belongings came back clean, he later admitted at
Mater Dei Hospital to having swallowed the pills.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
Chukwukere initially pleaded not guilty during his arraignment. However, during the sitting held on 23 February 2026, he declared himself guilty of all charges brought against him.
A joint application was filed between the Attorney General and the defence, reaching an agreement on the punishment to be imposed by the court: eight years of effective imprisonment and a fine of €15,000.
In
view of the guilty plea entered and subsequently confirmed by the accused, the
court found him guilty of all charges.
Court's Reasoning
Regarding the punishment, the court noted that although the accused did not enter a guilty plea at the earliest stages of the proceedings, he did so before the Bill of Indictment was issued against him.
The serious nature of the offences and the circumstances of the case were taken into consideration, including the fact that the accused imported into Malta 100 capsules containing 981.4 grams of cocaine, with an average purity of 87% and an estimated street value of €57,903.
In
its reasoning, the court stressed that the punishment must reflect the gravity
of organised drug crime, particularly where large quantities are involved.
Additional Penalties
Beyond the eight-year prison sentence and €15,000 fine, Chukwukere was also required to pay €1,559.39 in expert costs to the Registrar.
The Criminal Court further ordered the forfeiture of his movable and immovable assets and directed the destruction of the drugs unless they are needed in separate proceedings.
Judge
Natasha Galea Sciberras presided over the case.