Businesswoman Jailed for 15 Years Over Cannabis Possession

Businesswoman Jailed for 15 Years Over Cannabis Possession

Hawa Koroma, a local businesswoman, has been sentenced to fifteen years’ imprisonment at the Kono Female Correctional Facility. The sentence was delivered by Justice Santigie Ibrahim Sorie Bangura of the High Court in Kono following Koroma's conviction for unlawful possession of cannabis.

Koroma was found in possession of twenty-one wraps of cannabis sativa, an act that constitutes a violation of Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act of 2008.

Court documents indicate that on 1st November 2025, in Kono, Eastern Province, she was apprehended in possession of the illegal substances without lawful authorization. Upon the reading of the charges, Koroma entered a guilty plea.

During the plea in mitigation, her counsel, Osman Alpha Kamara Esq., requested leniency from the court, emphasizing that Koroma is a first-time offender who has shown remorse and facilitated the judicial process by pleading guilty.

In delivering the judgment, Justice Bangura acknowledged her plea but underscored the significant threat that drug abuse poses to the nation’s youth and overall national development. He asserted that a punitive measure for individuals involved in drug-related offences is necessary to serve as a deterrent to others.

Consequently, the court sentenced Hawa Koroma to fifteen years’ imprisonment at the Kono Female Correctional Facility.