Nigerian National Receives 30-Year Sentence for Cocaine Trafficking

Nigerian National Receives 30-Year Sentence for Cocaine Trafficking

Following a conviction by the High Court, Justice Mark Ngegba has sentenced Nigerian national Iwuchukwu Ebere Christian to 30 years' imprisonment for the unlawful possession of 900 grams of cocaine. This conviction was delivered under Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act of 2008.

Christian, who initially maintained a plea of not guilty, was arrested on June 25, 2025, in Lungi, North-West Region. Authorities reported that he was found in possession of 46 pellets, which were subsequently confirmed to be cocaine.

During the judicial proceedings, ASP Joseph Stevens of the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) testified that he conducted an analysis of the pellets on June 30, 2025, following a request from Detective Inspector Steven Alpha Turay. Laboratory examination confirmed the substance was cocaine, weighing a total of 900 grams.

In his judgment, Justice Ngegba concluded that the prosecution had successfully established beyond a reasonable doubt that the substance in Christian's possession was cocaine and that he lacked the requisite legal authorization to possess it. Christian had relied solely on his police statement at the conclusion of the prosecution's case.

After the guilty verdict, Christian sought a reduced sentence, claiming the drugs were intended solely for transit. He admitted to traveling from Nigeria to Sierra Leone by road with the intention of delivering the pellets to Ecuador, for which he was promised a payment of USD 5,000.

Defense Counsel C.I. Williams requested the court consider mitigating factors, including Christian's foreign nationality, his status as a father, and his role as a primary caregiver. Conversely, State Counsel A. Jalloh argued that the severity of the offense and its potential damage to Sierra Leone’s international standing warranted a punitive sentence.

In delivering the ruling, Justice Ngegba affirmed the sufficiency of the presented evidence to support the conviction and subsequently imposed the 30-year custodial sentence.