Women Convicted for Illicit Importation of Narcotics into Liberia

KAKATA, Margibi – The 13th Judicial Circuit Court has found guilty two Liberian women on three charges including importing illicit drugs worth L$28,800,000.00.

Report by Yawah Y. Jaivey, Contributor

The women were indicted for being in possession with heroin, criminal conspiracy and criminal facilitation in Kakata, Margibi County.

The jury, sitting in its February Term of court at the13th Judicial Circuit Court on Monday, March 18, brought down a unanimous guilty verdict against defendants Nathlyne Teta Gbessagee, 36, and Cleo Karpeh, 33.

The pair were indicted with the crimes of unlicensed importation of controlled drugs, criminal conspiracy, and criminal facilitation.

It can be recalled, on November 14, 2018, Gbessagee was arrested at the Roberts International Airport while heading from the Republic of Madagascar.

According to documents obtained by LDEA Officers, defendant Gbessagee departed Madagascar on November 10, 2018 on board a Kenya Flight No: 5595 and arrived on November 14, 2018, at the Roberts International Airport at 3:20 PM. The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) Team intercepted her after a brief stay with the Customs Officers and asked to reach the LDEA Office.

“A search was made on her luggage and found therefrom (8) eight kilos of unprocessed heroin with a street value of US$ 192,000.00 or its equivalent of L$28,800,000.00,” the LDEA charged sheet states.

Defendants Gbessagee was then arrested, and whisked to the headquarters of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency and turned over to the Investigation Section.

In her voluntary statement, she said that a man had arranged with her to travel and bring back with her the drugs into the country.

She also stated that both of them always meet at the Renaissance Entertainment Center at the Duport Road Junction. It was during one of these outings that she was reportedly approached on whether she could make a trip to the Republic of Madagascar to get his drugs.

The defendant then answered in the affirmative and they planned the trip. She told investigators that she was promised US$1200.00 for the trip and she accepted because she was in dadireeed of the cash.

In Madagascar, she said her luggage was changed by the contact person with a new suitcase alalready stocked with the illegal drugs.

Based on her confession and coupled with the seizure of the eight kilos of unprocessed heroine, the Investigation Section of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) chcharge the defendant as defined in 14.101 of the Amended New Panel Law of the Republic of Liberia.

At the same time, Cleo Karpeh, who was at large, was arrested on November 25, 2018, by officers of the LDEA on the case emanated from Madagascar involving Gbessagee. Following the jury’s unanimous verdict against defendants Gbessagee and Karpeh, Judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay who is presiding over the February Term A.D. 2019 at the13th Judicial Circuit Court reserved the court’s ruling for Friday, March 22.