A 37-year-old South African woman, Asandra Denise, has been sentenced to 130 years’ imprisonment by the High Court of Sierra Leone for cocaine trafficking. Justice Andrew S.C. Johnson delivered the judgment, convicting her on five counts related to the unlawful possession, transportation, and importation of cocaine.
Details of the Case
Denise, a resident of Nenvonds in the Eastern Cape Province, was arrested at Freetown International Airport in Lungi, Sierra Leone, with 365 pellets of cocaine weighing approximately 5.4 kilograms. She faced charges under the National Drugs Control Act, 2008, including unlawful possession, dealing, collecting, importing, and transporting prohibited drugs.
The accused pleaded not guilty. The prosecution called three witnesses, including forensic toxicologist Joseph Lahai, who confirmed the substance tested positive for cocaine hydrochloride. Defence counsel Ibrahim Samba Esq. stated that after consulting his client, she chose to rely on her police statement.
Court Ruling
Justice Johnson ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, describing the evidence as credible and unshaken. He found Denise guilty on all five counts, imposing a total of 130 years but ordering the sentences to run concurrently from the date of her remand. The court also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the cocaine and related exhibits.
