Courts / Dublin / Report
Nigerian who asked undercover cops to import cocaine loses sentence appeal
Summary
Sunny Idah, 41, a Nigerian national, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to soliciting two undercover Gardaí posing as Polish drug mules to import cocaine into Ireland between 14 and 19 September 2010. He was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, by Judge Catherine Murphy on 5 December 2014. Idah's appeal to reduce the severity of the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Justice Alan Mahon upheld the 10‑year term, noting Idah's central role in a well‑planned, sophisticated operation that involved sending the mules to Brazil to ingest one kilogram of cocaine worth €140,000, with each mule to be paid €5,000. The Court of Appeal confirmed that the suspended 12 months and the overall sentence were appropriate, and Idah remains on temporary release. The appeal was dismissed on 2 February 2016.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Nigerian who asked undercover cops to import cocaine loses sentence appeal. Charges or matters: soliciting another person to unlawfully import cocaine on dates between September 14 and 19, 2010. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- September 14 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 5, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2016-02-02 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: soliciting another person to unlawfully import cocaine on dates between September 14 and 19, 2010 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended by Judge Catherine Murphy on December 5, 2014. He had succesffuly appealed his conviction in 2013 and the sentence imposed in 2014 was backdated to 2010 for time spent in custody.
Places mentioned
- Gerard House
- Brown Street
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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