Just A Week After Liberian State Failed To Win US$100M Cocaine Case In Monrovia
PHOTO: Convict Henry Okeke and the wraps of narcotic drugs
By J. Peter S. Dennis, dennisrealone@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia- The Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in central Bong County has sentenced Henry Okeke to nine years imprisonment for unlicensed possession, sale, trading, delivery, distribution, dispatch and transit of controlled drugs or substances.
Okeke is a 42-year-old Nigerian national based her in Liberia.
The court’s ruling comes just about one week after the acquittal of all four defendants in the US$100 million cocaine case by Criminal Court “A” Judge A. Blamo Dixon in Monrovia.
Gbarnga Circuit Court
Jurors of the Bong County court in a unanimous verdict said that Henry Okeke, aka Henry Emmanuel Flomo and Onyeaghana Emmanuel Ebuka knowingly, purposely and intentionally committed the crimes.
The street value of the illegal drugs (heroine) seized from the convict is US $7,700.00.
Okeke was arrested on Monday, May 2, 2023 at about 10:00am at the Belefania Check Point in Zota District, Bong County with nineteen tubes of heroine hidden under the seat of his motorbike.
Additional three tubes of heroine, with a plastic bag of precursor was discovered under his mattress during a search operation by officers of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency in Bong County.
According to court records, this is the tenth (10th) time that Henry has been caught with drugs.
The ruling furthers that “even though the convict’s name is Henry Okeke, he possesses a Liberian National Identification card bearing the name Henry Emmanuel Flomo and ECOWAS passport bearing the name Onyeaghana Emmanuel Ebuka, in furtherance of his illegal activities.”
The unlicensed possession, sale, trading, and distribution of illegal drugs are felonies of the first degree, punishable by a prison term of 10 years maximum, as provided by the new penal code of the Republic of Liberia.
The verdict adds: “He will have an option of up to three (3) years of probation.”
Henry reportedly trashed a recommendation paper from a Probation officer for a two-year sentence.