A Canadian musician who returned to Toronto from his birthplace of Ghana with hundreds of thousands of {dollars}’ price of heroin hidden inside false partitions of his suitcases has been sentenced to fifteen years in jail for what a court-appointed social employee referred to as “an aberration of an in any other case ‘easy life.’”
A jury discovered Shadrack Oppong-Kyereme responsible in February 2024 of importing 12.2 kilograms of heroin into Canada two years earlier. However Oppong-Kyereme’s sentencing was delayed “as a result of backlog of calls for” for enhanced pre-sentence experiences from social employees, in line with a latest determination from Ontario’s Superior Courtroom of Justice.
“Whether or not or not Mr. Oppong-Kyereme was susceptible or gullible when he took these suitcases, it doesn’t lower his ethical blameworthiness,” wrote Justice Judy Fowler Byrne.
“Mr. Oppong-Kyereme, to his credit score, takes full duty for his actions. He understands the gravity of the crime, but in addition acknowledges the impression it will probably have on others whom he won’t ever meet.”
Customs brokers seize suitcase filled with 10 kg of heroin at Toronto’s Pearson airport
5-kilogram heroin stash found at Pearson airport
Oppong-Kyereme, now 39, arrived at Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport on a flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Feb. 26, 2022.
“He had simply returned from a visit to Ghana, the place he attended the funeral of an uncle, and Malawi, the place he operated a juice and fruit retailer,” mentioned the decide. “He was directed to the secondary inspection space, the place his two items of bags have been x-rayed. Having detected one thing odd on the x- ray, the (Canada Border Providers Company) officer took aside one piece of bags by opening a false facet and located a package deal that contained suspected unlawful substances.”
Oppong-Kyereme was arrested after it examined optimistic for narcotics. “The heroin was discovered inside eight separate packages, 4 in every of the 2 suitcases,” mentioned the June 26 determination, which notes the medicine have been price between $736,000 and $2,453,360.
He “has been married for 2 years, however his spouse is unaware of his current circumstances,” Jacquie Pemberton, a social employee, mentioned in Oppong-Kyereme’s Feb. 19, 2025, pre-sentence report.
Oppong-Kyereme “has three kids from a previous relationship who’re eight, 12 and 14 years outdated. He has parenting time on alternate weekends and in the course of the week and is a continuing determine in his kids’s lives,” mentioned the decide’s determination.
“When Mr. Oppong-Kyereme addressed the courtroom at his sentencing listening to, his major concern was about his ongoing means to financially help his kids.”
Oppong-Kyereme’s father was additionally “unaware of his expenses,” mentioned the choice.
“He has requested that his mom not be contacted for the pre-sentencing report as a result of it causes her to turn out to be overwhelmed.”
Oppong-Kyereme immigrated to Canada when he was 17 years outdated to reside along with his father, stepmother and their two kids, mentioned the choice. “He grew to become a Canadian citizen in 2003. Sadly, he didn’t get alongside along with his stepmother and moved out when he was 18 years outdated.”
Oppong-Kyereme has labored for himself and an employer, however a 2023 automobile accident sidelined him. “He’s at present receiving insurance coverage advantages because of the accident and attracts on scholar loans that he has acquired,” mentioned the choice.
Oppong-Kyereme, who completed highschool in Canada, “just lately accomplished an internet course on cyber safety and hopes to work on this space,” it mentioned.
Oppong-Kyereme can also be a musician, mentioned the choice. “He writes and performs Afrobeats, reggae and excessive life (a style particular to Ghana). He made his first skilled recording in Ghana in 2010. At instances he receives compensation for his music, relying on what platform his music is streamed on.”
Oppong-Kyereme “has a couple of good mates who describe him as quiet, humble and supportive,” mentioned the choice. “His mates agree he was taken benefit of by his trusting nature. His sister was very stunned by the fees as he was by no means concerned in something like that earlier than. Mr. Oppong-Kyereme blames his easy-going character for being ‘silly’ as he acknowledged, and trusting his pal in Malawi who requested him to take his suitcases to Canada.”
Earlier than the smuggling conviction, his legal report consisted of 1 impaired driving conviction from a decade again.
The Crown argued Oppong-Kyereme ought to get 16 years behind bars. His lawyer recommended a sentence of 10 years can be extra acceptable.
The decide famous heroin’s “addictive” and “harmful” nature.
“Heroin trafficking has been described as a ‘despicable’ crime and one which tears on the very cloth of our society,” Fowler Byrne mentioned.
“Even when an unlawful drug courier is discovered to be wilfully blind or naive, it’s not a mitigating circumstance.”
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