Justice Ngegba Sentences Driver to 30 Years for Drug Trafficking

Honourable Justice Mark Ngegba has sentenced David Johnson, a resident of Deep Eye Water along the Waterloo Highway in the east end of Freetown, to thirty (30) years’ imprisonment for transporting prohibited drugs without lawful authority.

Johnson was arraigned before the High Court on two counts: Transportation of Prohibited Drugs without Lawful Authority, contrary to Section 7(b) of the National Drugs Control Act, 2008 (Act No. 10 of 2008), and Unlawful Possession of Drugs, contrary to Section 8(a) of the same Act.

According to the particulars of offence, on Tuesday, 13th May 2025, at the Mile 18 Police Checkpoint in the Kambia Judicial District, Northern Province, the accused transported eighty-nine (89) compressed parcels of cannabis sativa without lawful authority.

In court, the accused admitted to the offence, explaining that he is a motor driver by profession and operates a red and yellow Nissan vehicle with registration number AUX 384. He claimed he was unaware that the package he was asked to transport by one Jelika Conteh contained illegal drugs and pleaded with the court for leniency.

Defence Counsel M.K. Dauda also urged the court to temper justice with mercy, arguing that his client acted unknowingly and had no prior knowledge of the contents of the parcels.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Ngegba stated that while he took into consideration the accused’s guilty plea and the mitigation statement from the defence, he also weighed the gravity of the offence and its destructive impact on society.

He emphasized that drug-related crimes undermine public safety and national development and must, therefore, attract appropriate punishment to deter others.

Consequently, on count one, Justice Ngegba sentenced David Johnson to twenty-five (25) years’ imprisonment, and on count two, to five (5) years’ imprisonment, with both sentences to run concurrently.