70-Year-Old Woman Sentenced to 31 Years for Drug Possession, Including Kush

On Thursday, November 20, the High Court in Freetown, presided over by Justice Mark Ngegba, sentenced Ya-Kadiatu Barrie, a woman in her 70s, to a total of 31 years in prison. The conviction followed a finding of guilt on multiple counts, including the unlawful possession of the drug commonly known as Kush and other prohibited substances.

Ms. Barrie faced three charges, including keeping a prohibited drug contrary to Regulation 15 of the Drugs and Substance Abuse Public Emergency Response Regulations of 2024, unlawful possession of drugs under Section 8(a) of the National Drug Control Act of 2008, and related offences.

The indictment detailed that Ms. Barrie was apprehended in Makeni, Bombali District, Northern Province, on October 20, 2025, in possession of 40 grams of Kush and 60.4 grams of Tramadol without lawful authorisation.

Upon the charges being read, Ms. Barrie entered a guilty plea to all counts. State Counsel C.P. Williams relied on the particulars of the offence and the guilty plea, leading Justice Ngegba to find her guilty on all charges.

In her allocutus, Ms. Barrie requested leniency, citing her age and health concerns, stating,

Her defense counsel, A.K. Dauda, also appealed for mercy, highlighting that his client had not protracted the court's proceedings.

The prosecution, conversely, urged the court to impose a minimum of 10 years on counts two and three, and up to 18 years on count one.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Ngegba acknowledged the plea for mercy and the defendant’s advanced age but emphasised the severity of drug-related crimes in Sierra Leone, declaring, “There is no gainsaying that drug abuse is destroying our society.”

The judge imposed sentences of 17 years for the possession of Kush, 7 years for the unlawful possession of Tramadol, and 7 years for keeping prohibited substances. The sentences are mandated to run concurrently, resulting in a cumulative term of 31 years’ imprisonment.