Cestos City, River Cess County – October 13, 2025: The Resident Judge of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court in River Cess County, His Honor Judge Barwon, has sentenced 43-year-old Ayouba Sheriff to 15 years imprisonment for Unlicensed Possession of Controlled Drugs, in violation of Chapter 14, Subsection 14.89(b) of the Penal Law of Liberia.
The sentencing followed a unanimous verdict by a trial jury that found Sheriff guilty of possessing a large quantity of marijuana without a license.
According to court records, Sheriff was arrested on September 21, 2025, by officers of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) at the ITI Checkpoint in Yarnee District, River Cess County. Authorities said the consignment of marijuana in his possession was valued at two hundred forty thousand Liberian dollars (L$240,000).
Following the court’s ruling, the defendant took exception to the judgment and announced an appeal to the Supreme Court of Liberia for review of the verdict and sentence.
The case highlights the government’s continued crackdown on illegal drug activities across the country as part of efforts to combat rising substance abuse and drug trafficking.
