By: Audrey Raymonda John
Fatu Bangura, a 50-year-old woman, was on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment by Justice Mark Ngegba of the High Court after being found guilty of unlawful possession of 4 plastic bags of Cannabis Sativa, weighing 120.8 kilograms, without lawful authority.
The defendant made her first appearance at the High Court and was arraigned on two counts: unlawful possession of drugs and dealing in prohibited drugs, both contrary to Sections 7 and 8(a) of the National Drug Control Act, 2008 (Act No. 10 of 2008).
According to the indictment, on 11 November 2025, at Abuja Area, Hastings, in the Western Rural Area, Fatu Bangura was found in possession of the four polyethylene bags of Cannabis Sativa without lawful authority.
When the charges were read and explained to her in court, the defendant admitted that the drugs were found in her possession but claimed that they were not hers.
State Counsel, Alpha Jalloh, presented the facts of the case, stating that the defendant was discovered with the drugs on the specified date and was thereafter charged to court. Based on her plea, she was found guilty of the offences charged.
Defense Counsel, M. K. Dauda, in his plea for mitigation, requested the court to temper justice with mercy, noting that the defendant had not wasted the court’s time. During her allocutus, Fatu Bangura reiterated that she was not the owner of the drugs, although they were found with her.
In delivering his ruling, Justice Ngegba noted that he had considered the defendant’s plea as well as the seriousness of the offences. He sentenced her as follows: 5 years’ imprisonment on count one and 30 years’ imprisonment on count two, with the sentences to run concurrently.