Freetown, Sierra Leone — A High Court in Sierra Leone has sentenced Hawa Dukuly to 35 years in prison after she admitted to unlawful possession of a controlled drug.
The sentence was handed down by Honourable Justice Khalilah Diana Kamara following Dukuly’s guilty plea to an offence under Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act, 2008 (Act No. 10 of 2008).
Court records indicate that on June 11, 2025, Dukuly was arrested in Lungi, North-West Region, while in possession of 800.4 grams of cocaine without lawful authority.
During her arraignment, the accused pleaded guilty to the charge. Her lawyer, in a plea for leniency, urged the court to consider her personal circumstances, noting that she is a mother of two and their primary caregiver.
In delivering the judgment, Justice Kamara said the court had carefully considered the guilty plea and the mitigation advanced by defence counsel. However, she ruled that the seriousness of the offence outweighed the mitigating factors presented.
“The nature, gravity and scale of this offence cannot be diminished by the plea in mitigation,” the judge said, adding that Sierra Leone is facing a growing narcotics challenge that demands firm judicial action.
She stressed that sentencing must send a strong deterrent message, particularly at a time when the country is intensifying its fight against drug trafficking and abuse.
Justice Kamara accordingly sentenced Dukuly to 35 years’ imprisonment.
The court further ordered that the 800.4 grams of cocaine be destroyed by the relevant authorities in the presence of approved and verifiable witnesses.
A certificate confirming the destruction is to be submitted to the court within seven working days after the exercise is completed.
