{UAH} Liberia: Ugandan Drugs Dealer Convicted

Liberia: Ugandan Drugs Dealer Convicted

BY WINSTON W. PARLEY, 15 APRIL 2014

A female Ugandan drugs dealer Shirat Nalwadda is convicted on multiple crimes in Liberia after a trial at the Criminal Court "C", Temple of Justice in Monrovia.

The presiding Judge, A. Blamo Dixon, in a ruling Monday, April 14 sentenced the convict to four consecutive years' imprisonment, and ordered her deportation from the Republic of Liberia through diplomatic channels to serve her sentence in the Republic of Uganda.

Yesterday, Judge Dixon upheld a unanimous guilty jury verdict against defendant Nalwadda for the alleged commission of the crime of unlawful possession, trafficking and distribution of narcotic drugs.

The court ordered with immediate effect that defendant Nalwadda is remanded at the Monrovia Central Prison, pending her deportation from Liberia.

The court recalled that Nalwadda was arrested at the Roberts International Airport or RIA on Sunday, 30 November 2013 from Kampala, Uganda with 1.2 kilograms of substances believed to be drugs.

After being investigated by RIA securities and officers of the National Security Agency or NSA here, she was subsequently charged and taken to the Monrovia City Court where she was bailed.

On December 11, 2013, Nalwadda was indicted by the Grand Jury for Montserrado County, having being rearrested by securities at RIA and detained at the Monrovia Central Prison or South Beach when she attempted absconding Liberia for Uganda while on bail.

The indictment says the defendant was apprehended with 1.2 kilograms of substances believed to be heroin valued US$30,000.00 or LD$2,400,000.00 equivalent.

Based on evidence before the court, Judge Dixon said during the course of security checking, a parcel believed to contain the said drugs was found in Nalwadda's traveling bag at RIA on Saturday, 30 November 2013, when she arrived here from Kampala, Uganda via Kenya Airways Flight number 508.

The indictment says Liberia's Drugs Enforcement Agency or DEA established that the said substances were drugs believed to be heroin and weighed 1.2 kilograms.

The indictment further says during the investigation of the defendant at the RIA, it was revealed that she came to locate her boyfriend in Liberia only identified as Ekina, but she could not give his telephone number or address when securities arrested her.

The three witnesses produced by prosecutors including Albert Hare, Morris Y. Wilson and Phillip Jagba confirmed the allegations laid down in the indictment, but defendant Nalwadda denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.

A lab demonstrator from the state-run University of Liberia, Mr. Emmanuel Willie, in his testimony for defendant Nalwadda told the court and jury that the test conducted on the substances believed to be heroin was the "Presumptive Test" and not the confirmatory test.

Earlier, defendant Nalwadda's first witness Samuel Johnson, who said he was once an employee of Sabena Airlines and S.N. Brussels, disclosed he has knowledge in the screening of passengers entering and leaving Liberia.

But in a rebuttal testimony, state witness and DEA Laboratory Technician Mr. Morris Y. Wilson, who conducted the test testified that presumptive test of drugs is universally accepted and confirmed.

Making reference to Tittle 33, Chapter 41, Section 41.23, Subsections 1 and 2, Section 41.24, Subsection 1 of the Public Health Law of Liberia, the court said "Any person who sells a Narcotic Drugs without the written prescription of a physician, dentist, or veterinarian, except as otherwise provided by the provisions of this Chapter, shall be Guilty of a felony of the first-degree."

Meanwhile, the court has in its ruling, ordered that the defendant be remanded into custody at the Monrovia Central Prison compound, pending her deportation from Liberia

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower