Principal Magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe of the Banjul Magistrates' Court, on Thursday convicted and sentenced one Aruna Jarju to a mandatory jail term of 10 years. The convict was also ordered to pay a fine of D1 million indefault to serve 3 years imprisonment.

The convict was charged with being in possession of prohibited drugs for the purpose of trafficking contrary to Section 43 (4) (e) of the Drug Control Act 2003.The particulars of the offence revealed that the convict on or about 6th July 2012 at Faraba Sutu check point in West Coast Region had in his possession 3 kg 120 grams of cannabis sativa, a prohibited drug.

When the charge was read to him, he pleaded guilty and the NDEA prosecutor, M. Jallow narrated the facts of the case in which he informed the court that it happened on the 6th July 2012 while the convict was coming from Bajana Village to the Kombos. He said upon reaching a checkpoint at Faraba Sutu the vehicle was searched and a container was found and it contained quantities of cannabis, which belong to the convict.

Jallow further informed the court that the convict was taken to Mandinaba Police Station after which his (the convict's) cautionary and voluntary statements were obtained and he was later escorted to Banjul for weighing and a weighment certificate issues was issued to that effect.

The container of cannabis, cautionary and voluntary statements weighment certificate and analytical report were all tendered and admitted as exhibits. He admitted the facts presented by the prosecutor as true and he was convicted accordingly.

The court sentenced him to a mandatory jail term of 10 years and to pay a fine of D1million in default to serve 3 years imprisonment.