Kindness Onyedikachi Agwu, a Nigerian national, has been sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment after Judge Jonathan Moses of a New Zealand Crown Court found him guilty of 15 counts of importing and supplying cocaine.
Agwu, a semi-professional who played football for Metro FC and Mangere United, is reportedly the head of the New Zealand end of an international drug ring, who answered to the “Chairman” and wired nearly half a million dollars in cash to Argentina, Ecuador, Australia, Brazil and Togo over three months.
Judge Moses heard that Agwu (27) arranged shipments of cocaine fromSouth America and recruited an Auckland man – who in turn recruited his wife and others – to organise fake addresses to which the packages could be mailed.
The parcels were then redirected to family and friends of the husband-and-wife team. The drugs were stored at an Auckland gym, where the cocaine was handed to the next link in the supply chain.
The gym owner was charged in connection with the case but later excused from trial after being diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease. Hisidentity is suppressed and is currently the subject of an appeal to the High Court.
The court also heard that Agwu was the “boss” of the New Zealand end of the operation, but acted on overseas instructions from someone called “Chairman”.
Agwu claimed he was being framed, explaining that the $470,292 wired to him through Western Union were for football transfers. He told the court the money was for obtaining “certificates” from the Nigerian Football Association to allow football players to transfer to overseas clubs.
In his sentence, Judge Moses said the evidence against Agwu was overwhelming.
“You are not the victim of a conspiracy. You are the author of your own misfortune,” Judge Moses said. “Drugs are a social evil and you flooded the streets of Auckland with cocaine. You maintain your innocence but the evidence against you was compelling.”
Agwu must serve half of the 17 years before being eligible for parole.
