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The High Court in Freetown has sentenced two Liberian nationals, Annet Maflah and Lovetta Maflah, to 35 years’ imprisonment each after they pleaded guilty to charges of drug dealing and transportation in Sierra Leone.
The sentences were handed down by Justice Mark Ngegba following the women’s appearance before the court on four counts of unlawful possession of drugs, contrary to the National Drug Control Act of 2008 and related laws. The charges stemmed from their arrest on November 16, 2025, in Koidu Town, Kono District.
According to court records, the two women were apprehended while transporting a large quantity of tramadol tablets from Kenema to Koidu Town. Upon their arrest, law enforcement officers recovered 2,130 tramadol tablets weighing approximately 20.4 kilograms. The drugs were found in their possession without lawful authority.
Both defendants appeared in court without legal representation and pleaded guilty to all four counts. During mitigation, Lovetta Maflah, who is six months pregnant, appealed to the court for leniency on humanitarian grounds. Annet Maflah did not present any additional plea in mitigation.
In delivering his judgment, Justice Ngegba acknowledged the guilty pleas, noting that they saved the court valuable time and resources. However, he emphasised the serious social consequences of drug trafficking, particularly its impact on young people in Sierra Leone.
“While I acknowledge their circumstances, I will not overlook the fact that drug abuse has devastated many lives in our society,” the judge stated.
Justice Ngegba subsequently sentenced each woman to 35 years’ imprisonment on all four counts, with the sentences to run concurrently. He explained that the penalty reflected the gravity of the offence and the harm caused by the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs.
The ruling underscores the judiciary’s firm stance on drug-related offences and serves as a warning to individuals involved in the trafficking of controlled substances that such crimes will attract severe punishment under Sierra Leonean law.
