High Court Judge, Honourable Justice Mark Ngegba, has sentenced two Liberian citizens to thirty-five (35) years’ imprisonment each for trading and transporting 2,130 tablets of tramadol in Sierra Leone.
The sentence was delivered on Friday, 23 January 2026, at the Main Law Courts Building in Freetown following the conviction of Annet Maflah and Lovetta Maflah, who are sisters and residents of Zorzor, Monrovia, Republic of Liberia.
Court records state that the two women were indicted on four counts, including unlawful possession of a prohibited drug, dealing in a prohibited drug and transporting a prohibited drug, contrary to Sections 8(a), 7(c), and 7(b) of the National Drugs Control Act, 2008 (Act No. 10 of 2008).
According to the particulars of offence, the convicts were arrested on 16 November 2025 in Koidu Town, Kono District, Eastern Province, where they were found in possession of 2,130 tablets of tramadol, weighing 20.4 kilograms, without lawful authority.
The prosecution maintained that the consignment was intended for illegal distribution, describing the operation as a serious threat to public health and national security, particularly in communities vulnerable to drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
During their allocutus, both Annet Maflah and Lovetta Maflah appealed to the court for mercy, pleading for a reduced sentence. They told the court they were remorseful and asked the judge to consider their circumstances.
However, in his sentencing remarks, Honourable Justice Mark Ngegba said he had carefully listened to their pleas and noted that they did not waste the court’s time. He stressed, however, that the offences were extremely serious and carried dangerous consequences for society, especially the devastating impact of prohibited drugs on young people.
Justice Ngegba warned that the abuse and circulation of illicit drugs continues to destroy lives, undermine productivity and threaten the future of communities, adding that the judiciary must demonstrate firmness in handling drug-related offences.
He therefore found both convicts guilty on all four counts and sentenced Annet Maflah and Lovetta Maflah to 35 years’ imprisonment each, sending a strong message to drug traffickers operating within and across Sierra Leone’s borders.
