High Court Sentences Motor Driver to 25 Years for Drug Trafficking

High Court Sentences Motor Driver to 25 Years for Drug Trafficking

The High Court of Sierra Leone, presided over by the Honourable Justice Mark Ngegba, has sentenced David Johnson, a motor driver residing in Deep Eye Water along the Waterloo Highway, to twenty-five years of imprisonment for transporting prohibited drugs without lawful authority.

The sentence was delivered at Court No. 6, Main Law Courts Building. Mr. Johnson faced two charges: 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.

Court records indicate that on Tuesday, 13th May 2025, Mr. Johnson was stopped by police officers at the Mile 18 Police Checkpoint within the Kambia Police Division, Northern Province. A subsequent search of his red and yellow Nissan vehicle (registration number AUX 384) revealed eighty-nine (89) compressed parcels of cannabis sativa concealed within the vehicle.

During the proceedings, Mr. Johnson pleaded guilty to the offence. He informed the Court that he had been hired by an individual named Jelika Conteh to transport the parcels, claiming he was unaware of their illegal contents, and requested the Court's leniency. Defence Counsel M.K. Dauda also submitted an appeal for mercy, arguing that his client lacked criminal intent and was oblivious to the nature of the goods being transported.

In delivering his judgment, Justice Ngegba acknowledged the accused's guilty plea and the defence's appeal for clemency. However, he underscored the gravity of the offence, stating that drug trafficking constitutes a significant threat to public safety and national development. Justice Ngegba emphasized that such crimes necessitate firm punitive measures to serve as a deterrent.

Consequently, Justice Ngegba sentenced David Johnson to twenty-five (25) years for the first count and five (5) years for the second count. Both sentences were ordered to run concurrently, resulting in a total effective prison term of twenty-five (25) years.