The son of a former Ghanaian ambassador received a 10-year prison sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the importation of cocaine valued at almost €400,000 from Brazil two years ago.
Daniel Gwira (48), with addresses at Hanlon's Lane, Malahide, Co Dublin, and Elton Court Fairview, Dublin, was caught with the drugs at Dublin Airport on April 28th, 2002, by the same customs officer who caught him in 1992 also importing a large cache of cocaine concealed in footwear contained in his case.
Judge Michael White suspended the final 17 months of the sentence to take account of time Gwira spent in custody and of what he termed an overlong delay in re-arresting and charging him after the case was originally struck out by Judge Desmond Windle in Dublin District Court.
Gwira, who was born in Ireland in 1953, was jailed for eight years on February 12, 1993, for the earlier offence and given early release in 1996.
He is the author of A Shortened Version of the Bible which, he told gardaí, had sold 10,000 copies until his arrest. He holds a PhD in martial arts education, runs martial arts schools in Africa, Europe, and in North and South America, and is the author of eight books on karate.
Judge White was also told that Gwira was an accomplished musician and songwriter whose work has been published on CDs.
Gwira's grandfather came to Ireland in 1898 and after studying at Trinity College and King's Inns, qualified as a barrister in 1916.
His father, who was later the Ghanaian ambassador in several countries, also qualified as a barrister in 1950 after studying at the same two institutions.
Garda Ronan Biggins told prosecuting counsel, Mr Justin Dillon, that Customs Officer Patrick Lynch stopped Gwira after he arrived in Dublin Airport from Sao Paulo via London. The cocaine was found concealed in footwear and containers in his suitcases.
Gwira told gardaí he had been in Brazil checking his martial arts school in Rio de Janeiro when "some friends" asked him to bring the cocaine back to Ireland. He was to be paid $5,000 for doing this and was to contact someone on his arrival to hand the cache over.
Mr Patrick Gageby SC, for Gwira, noted he had been caught in 1992 by the same customs official while trying to import cocaine concealed in footwear. All the evidence showed Gwira was more foolish than evil, he said.
Judge White noted that Gwira had been tendered several testimonials. The judge said he had heard evidence from some writers as to Gwira's accomplishments and general character. Gwira had also written to the court and furnished a discography of his CDs.
"He is obviously a very talented person with many fine attributes and it is all the more surprising that he engaged in this terrible drugs trade," said Judge White.