The Judge of the 5th Judicial Circuit in Grand Cape Mount County has sentenced four persons to 10 years imprisonment each in connection with trafficking drugs into the country.
Judge Ousman Feika sentenced Tony Okeye, Tina Morris, Daniel David and Abu Kamara after being found guilty of possessing fentanyl, known locally as “kush.”
Three of the four defendants were charged with Unlicensed Drug of Possession or Substances, while Defendant Tony Okeye was charged with Unlicensed Possession of Controlled Drugs or Substances and Unlawful Maintenance of Place of Controlled Drugs or Substances and jailed to 10 years.
The defendants were arrested following a coordinated effort between local residents and the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) in Grand Cape Mount County.
According to the indictment, the defendants were involved in distributing fentanyl within the Lofa Bridge and Gold Camp Communities, leading to significant harm to residents.
The case presided over by Judge Ousman F. Feika, followed Okeye’s guilty plea under the New Penal Law of Liberia.
Defendant Okeye was arrested on July 29, 2024, in the early hours of the morning in Weajue, Gola Konneh District by Agents of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) with two plates of marijuana (cannabis sativa) and a substance believed to be heroin which valued at L$58,500 (approximately US$300), reportedly being sold from Okeye’s residence to individuals within the community.
It stated that Okeye’s narcotics trade had been the subject of complaints from local residents, who had alerted the LDEA to his activities. During the investigation, Okeye admitted to the crime and revealed that he had been operating a well-planned and illegal drug business aimed at profiting from the sale of narcotics.
The indictment also referenced the violation of Liberia’s “Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of 2023,” which prohibits the possession, sale, and distribution of narcotic substances without proper authorization. Okeye’s operation involved narcotics listed in Schedule I of the Act, which includes cannabis and heroin, both subject to strict control which constitutes a felony of the first degree punishable to 20 years in prison.
At his arraignment on September 10, 2024, Okeye pleaded guilty and requested leniency from the court.
However, after a Pre-sentence Investigation (PSI) report by the probation officers, the trial judge sentenced Okeye to 10 years in the county’s common jail.
This case marks a significant move in Liberia’s fight against narcotics, as the country continues to tighten its grip on illegal drug operations, aiming to protect communities from the adverse effects of drug abuse and trafficking.
On July 8 and 9, 2024, law enforcement discovered 277 wraps of fentanyl at David’s residence and 43 wraps at Kamara’s. The total value of the drugs found amounted to approximately L$263,150 (US$1,385) for David and L$66,500 (US$350) for Kamara.
The defendants voluntarily admitted to their involvement during the LDEA’s investigation, which revealed that they had operated with “criminal minds” to profit from illegal drug sales, negatively affecting the communities.
Judge Feika applied Liberia’s 2023 Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, and found the defendants guilty of first-degree felony charges as the drugs recovered were classified under Schedule I of the law reflecting the seriousness of their offense.
The lone female among the males, Tina Morris, was sentenced for Marijuana Possession and Drug Distribution.
She was arrested on June 12, 2024, in Kinjor, Gola Konneh District, when the LDEA discovered one-half of a compressed plate and 343 wraps of marijuana, valued at L$55,860 (US$294), in her shop. The investigation revealed that her shop was a cover for drug sales, leading to charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of 2023. Morris, who pleaded guilty on September 10, 2024, sought leniency, but the court, after a Pre-sentence investigation sentenced her to 10 years in prison.
The prosecution, led by County Attorney, Cllr. Nyonkpao R.G. Daye, praised the verdict as a milestone in the fight against narcotics trafficking. He further advocated for reopening the Gbah Checkpoint to enhance border control and intercept illegal drug traffickers.
The ruling comes as part of a broader efforts to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse in Liberia’s mining communities.
By T.Q. Lula Jaurey
