Connect with us

E-News

Russian Court Jails US Basketball Star For Nine Years Over Drug Smuggling

Published

on

A Russian court on Thursday found US basketball star Brittney Griner guilty of smuggling and storing drugs and sentenced her to nine years in prison.

The court “found the defendant guilty” of smuggling and possessing “a significant amount of narcotics”, judge Anna Sotnikova told a court in the town of Khimki just outside Moscow.

Sotnikova sentenced Griner, 31, to nine years in prison and said she would also have to pay a fine of one million rubles ($16,590).

The six-foot-nine (2.06 metres) star was detained at a Moscow airport in February after she was found carrying vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage. The arrest came just days before Moscow launched its military intervention in Ukraine.

Advertisement

Prosecutors had earlier requested the two-time Olympic basketball gold medallist and Women’s NBA champion be sentenced to nine and a half years in prison on drug smuggling charges.

Griner’s trial came with tensions soaring between Moscow and Washington over Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine that has sparked international condemnation and a litany of Western sanctions.

“I made an honest mistake and I hope that your ruling doesn’t end my life here,” Griner said earlier Thursday.

“I want the court to understand it was an honest mistake that I made while rushing, under stress, trying to recover from post-Covid and just trying to get back to my team.”

Griner’s trial has recently accelerated as the United States and Russia discuss a potential prisoner swap that could involve the basketball star.

Advertisement

“I ask the court to find Griner guilty and sentence her to nine years and six months in prison,” prosecutor Nikolay Vlasenko said, requesting a term just short of the maximum punishment of 10 years.

Vlasenko said Griner “deliberately” proceeded through the green corridor at customs and stated she had nothing to declare “in order to conceal” the substance.

Griner walked into the courtroom in handcuffs, escorted by several law enforcement officers and a police dog.

Standing inside a cage for defendants before the start of the hearing, she held up a photo of herself with teammates from the Russian club she plays for.

Her lawyer Maria Blagovolina told the court earlier Thursday that Griner was “an icon for many people” and “was brave” to admit her guilt.

Advertisement

She added that the amount of substance brought in by the athlete was “just over” the allowed amount.

Blagovolina asked the court to acquit Griner or consider a more lenient sentence if she is found guilty.

Griner was detained when she came to Russia to play club basketball with UMMC Ekaterinburg during the US off-season — a common path for American stars seeking additional income.

Griner pleaded guilty to the charges but said she did not intend to break the law or use the banned substance in Russia.

In previous hearings, Griner said she was regularly tested by US, Russian and European leagues.

Advertisement

The WNBA star said she had permission from a US doctor to use medicinal cannabis to relieve pain from her many injuries — “from the spine to cartilages.”

Her case has raised speculation about a potential prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that Washington had made a “substantial proposal” to Moscow to free Griner and former US Marine Paul Whelan, who was imprisoned on espionage charges.

A prisoner swap was also discussed during a Friday call between Blinken and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

The highest-profile Russian prisoner in the United States is Victor Bout, a 55-year-old arms trafficker, dubbed the “Merchant of Death”, serving 25 years in jail.

Advertisement

There is no official confirmation that Washington has offered to exchange him.

Russia and the United States have already conducted one prisoner swap since the start of Moscow’s Ukraine offensive.

In April, Washington exchanged former US Marine Trevor Reed for convicted drug smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko.

-AFP

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

E-News

HANDS OF GOD CHARITY HOME FOUNDATION

Published

on

HANDS OF GOD

Hands of God Charity Home Foundation is a charitable organization created to raise funds for charitable purposes, it also provide great support to individuals and communities that need help in terms of funding, support or awareness.

At Hand of God Charity Home, the less-privileged are assisted to live a better life, education, shelter, welfare and hope for a brighter future.

Hand of God is registered with Corporate Affairs Commission as a Non Governmental Organization.

They have carried out numerous community projects and still doing more to make the society a better place.

Advertisement

Presently they are embarking on numerous projects that requires the assistance of well meaning Nigerians to actualize their mission and set goals.

To this end, Hand of God Charity Home Foundation is soliciting for your support with just a Monthly Donation of ₦1000.

Your support will be greatly appreciated.

(ACCOUNT NAME)
👇
HANDS OF GOD CHARITY HOME FOUNDATION

(ACCOUNT NUMBER)
👇
1025828323

Advertisement

BANK : UBA

You can follow Hand of God Charity Home via this link 👇👇

https://www.facebook.com/HANDSOFGODCHARITYHOMEFOUNDATION?mibextid=ZbWKwL

 

Advertisement
Continue Reading

E-News

Senator Ekwunife In A Scandal Of Two Hundred And Fifty-Five Million Naira (₦‎250,000,000) Technology Training Funds

Published

on

By Efe Davidson

Information reaching us has it that the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District in the 9th Senate, Sen. Lilian Uche Ekwunife is enmeshed in a scandal of diverting funds meant for the training of Youths in her Constituency.

The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation released over ₦‎250,000,000 for the ‘Training and Empowerment of Youths in the 7 LGAs of Anambra Central on Renewal Energy and Devices in Anambra State’. The Federal Ministry used Centre For Energy Research and Development Nsukka to facilitate the program.

Sen. Ekwunife who is the Chairman Senate Committee on Science Technology got the money for the program which she went ahead to organize in collaboration with NASENI.

Advertisement

After the training which started on 22nd November and ended 26th November, 2022, participants started agitating on how they were shortchanged by the organizers. They claimed that Sen. Ekwunife who organized the program did not give them ₦‎25,000 meant for participants logistics for the 5days of the training that was held at International Conference Centre (ICC) Awka. The participants who were initially oblivious of the monetary attachments of the program started their complaints when one of the organizers in course of discussion with one of them asked if they have gotten all the monies accrued to them.

Following up on their agitations, we learnt that the participants supposed to have taken ₦‎25,000 per youth during the program and ₦‎500,000 per youth at the completion of the training. The ₦‎500,000 as approved is meant for start up for those who successfully learnt Solar Installation and Maintenance.

An official of NASENI who spoke on the condition of anonymity explained that they were in Anambra State for a follow-up with the money meant for the training and to monitor the success of the training but was surprised to realize that the participants were not paid their entitlements by the lawmaker.

“We will file our reports and submit them to the Headquarters and it’s up to them to take necessary actions. The report is the only thing we can do in this matter. What happened here is one of those means lawmakers steal public funds. Each of these participants is meant to earn ₦‎500,000 aside their ₦‎25,000 for feeding and accommodation. I will give you documents to back this up because we will definitely file our report. We individually interviewed them and the response was the same. No start-up money was paid as at the time they were receiving their certificates. For the accommodation and feeding, they confided in me that they got only ₦‎10,000 each.” – he concluded.

Another official of the Centre of Energy Research at the University of Nigeria Nsukka where the money was lodged through the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, refused to speak on the issue. One of the Staff of the Centre who also spoke on the condition of anonymity explained that the issue is not new because it has been the culture where politicians propose huge sums of money for a particular program or project and come through the backdoor to take the huge sum for their personal enrichment. He claimed that politicians perfect this style of scam through organizing ineffective programs with loud media publicity for campaign purposes.

Advertisement

This scandal on Sen. Ekwunife is worrisome because the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah got same money for the Training of Youths in Anambra South Senatorial District and has publicly announced and promised to organize a special program where the Youths will learn and equally get their ₦‎500,000 which is meant for their start-up. Public declaration of this same program by Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah has given credence to this ₦‎250,000,000 million scandal by Sen. Ekwunife.

As at the time of filing this report, none of the Youths who participated in the program has gotten any other fund apart from the ₦‎10,000 given to them on the final day of the program. Davidsblog will equally update the readers when we confirm they have completely received the funds they were supposed to get from the Federal Government.
Sen. Ekwunife is now left with the option of releasing back the money meant for the training of the Anambra Central Youth Technology Training Program. The organizers can still contact the participants for the money accrued to them by the Federal Government.

Efe Davidson
Abuja, Nigeria

Advertisement
Continue Reading

E-News

Kidnappers demand ransom in new naira notes

Published

on

Gunmen who abducted four persons in Kolo village of Zamfara State have reportedly demanded ransom in new naira notes.

It was learnt that the terrorists demanded N10m and later reduced it to N5m but insisted they won’t collect the old naira notes.

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday unveiled the new naira notes but the new notes may not go into circulation until December 15, 2022.

The terrorists insisted they would keep the victims until the new notes are in circulation.

Advertisement

“As we were trying to gather the money demanded by the terrorists, they sent another message this morning that they would not collect old naira notes.

“They said they would keep the abducted persons in their camps until the release of the new naira notes in December,” Mohammed Ibrahim, a resident, reportedly said.

The Nation

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending