Freetown, 23rd January 2026 – The High Court of Sierra Leone has sentenced two Liberian sisters to 35 years in prison each after they were found guilty of trafficking more than 2,000 tablets of tramadol.
Honourable Justice Mark Ngegba delivered the ruling against Annet Maflah and Lovetta Maflah, both residents of Zorzor, Monrovia, following their conviction on four counts under the National Drugs Control Act, 2008 (Act No. 10 of 2008). The charges included unlawful possession, dealing, and transporting of a prohibited drug.
According to court records, the sisters were arrested on 16 November 2025 in Koidu Town, Kono District, Eastern Sierra Leone, with 2,130 tablets of tramadol weighing 20.4 kilograms. Prosecutors argued that the women had no lawful authority to possess or transport the drugs.
During their allocutus, the convicts pleaded for leniency. Justice Ngegba acknowledged their cooperation and the fact that they did not waste the Court’s time, but stressed the gravity of the offences. He underscored the devastating impact of illicit drugs on Sierra Leone’s youth and society at large.
“The seriousness of these crimes cannot be overlooked. The destructive effects of tramadol and other illicit substances on young people demand strong deterrence,” Justice Ngegba said in his sentencing remarks.
Both Annet and Lovetta Maflah were found guilty on all counts and handed 35 years’ imprisonment each.
