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High Court Judge Justice Khalilah Diana Kamara has handed down a stern thirty-five-year prison sentence to Hawa Dukuly, following her conviction for the unlawful possession of cocaine.
Dukuly was sentenced after pleading guilty to violating Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act of 2008.
The court heard that on June 11, 2025, Dukuly was apprehended in Lungi, in the North-West Region, while in possession of 800.4 grams of cocaine without lawful authority. Upon her arraignment, she wasted no time in admitting to the charge.
In a plea for mitigation, the Defense Counsel urged the court to temper justice with mercy, highlighting that Dukuly is a mother of two and the principal caregiver for her family.
However, in delivering her judgment, Justice Kamara emphasized that the severity of the crime outweighed the personal circumstances of the convict.
“Taking into consideration the nature of the offence, the guilty plea of the convict and plea in mitigation of the convict’s lawyer cannot mitigate the gravity and enormity of the offence committed,” Justice Kamara stated.
The Judge remarked that Sierra Leone is currently at a “crossroad” regarding the “narcotic pandemic,” necessitating a clear, decisive, and unambiguous message of disapproval to serve as a deterrent to potential offenders.
“Based on the above, the convict is hereby sentenced to 35 years imprisonment,” she declared.
In addition to the custodial sentence, Justice Kamara ordered the immediate destruction of the confiscated 800.4 grams of cocaine. She mandated that the destruction be carried out by appropriate authorities in the presence of verifiable witnesses. A certificate confirming the destruction must be filed with the court within seven working days of the exercise.
