Magistrate Ben Barco of the Monrovia City Court has jailed a 56-year old Liberian identified as Rita Sata Williams for allegedly possessing 1.9 kilograms of cocaine valued US$102, 600.
The Magistrate’s decision comes as a result of an arrest made by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) on Saturday, June 15, 2024, at the Clay Check-Point, Bomi County while traveling from Guinea through Sierra Leone to Liberia with a morrow suitcase containing the substance.
Upon the arrest of Defendant Williams who is the owner of the Euphrates Enterprise, dealers in Household, Office and Electronic materials on the E.L.W.A Highway in Paynesville, she was duly informed of her constitutional rights and subsequently transferred to the headquarters of LDEA in Monrovia.
The LDEA charge sheet said during the preliminary investigation, defendant Williams admitted carrying the 1.9 kilograms of cocaine substances which was purchased from a Guinean lady named Lady T and a Nigerian named Oga.
The cocaine, according to defendant Williams, was paid with the amount of 14,000US$ which was placed in four blue plastics to be taken to the Holland, Netherlands where she is residing.
The Agency said that “cocaine is one of those drugs and controlled substances found under schedule one and deemed as grave offense under the New Penal Law of Liberia as amended and included thereto the Drug and Controlled Substances Act of 2023.”
The investigation established that on the appraised black market the cocaine valued US$102, 600 and its equivalent in Liberian currency at L$19, 494, 000.
Hence, the LDEA had no alternative but to charge the defendant with the crimes: Unlicensed sale, Delivery, Distribution, Dispatched in Transit and Transportation of Controlled Drug or Substances, Unlicensed Possession of Controlled drug and Illicit Trafficking of Controlled drug in violations of sections 14.85, 14.89 and 14.93 respectively under schedule I as prescribed in 50.5 and 50.6 of the Penal Law of Liberia pending court trial.
Co-conspirators Lady-T, a Nigerian and a Guinea to be identified are likewise charged in absentia.
Defendant Williams will be spending her first night at the Monrovia Central Prison while awaiting court proceedings.
