A briefcase containing 10 kilograms of cocaine. (Photo: Michael Daniel).

Juba High Court on Wednesday began the trial of a foreigner caught in possession of 10 kilograms of cocaine at Juba International Airport.

Emmica Emma Rje, 37, is a Nigerian national believed to be a member of a criminal cartel of drug traffickers.

He was arrested in June this year in South Sudan, after leaving Brazil and transiting through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

He was arrested by the Narcotics Control Division of the Criminal Investigation Department at Juba airport.

Upon his indictment, the General Prosecutor Lilian George Ladu said the suspect had hidden the cocaine drugs inside a secret pocket in his bag.

“Today (Wednesday), in the drug smuggling case, the session was devoted to hearing the investigator, he was coming from Brazil via Ethiopian Airlines, and he was arrested at Juba Airport, in possession of 10 kilos of cocaine,” Lilian explained.

A sample was sent for examination in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, to confirm the result of the examination, showing that it was cocaine.

Prosecutor Lilian George said the suspect made a judicial confession of having possessed the forbidden drug.

However, he alleged that he was sent to deliver some jeans trousers to one Juba hotel.

He said his client from Brazil had promised a handsome payment of 3000 Us dollars after delivering the stuffs.

“The laboratory examination result was positive, and the court set a session on the first day of February to hear the complainant.”

The General Prosecutor called on the court to apply  the penalty contained in the indictment.

According to the General Prosecutor, the suspect will be tried under Article 383 subsection 2 (a) of the South Sudan Penal Code Act 2008.

The law says whoever commits the offense of aggravated unlawful dealing in a dangerous drug, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to death or life imprisonment.

Subsequently, the presiding judge, Amani Al-H adjourned the session to the first day of February 2023 to hear the complainer.