26KG OF HEROINE WERE SNEAKED INTO THE COUNTRY THROUGH NIMULE BORDER, COURT REVEALS

Nimule border played a conveyor belt role in the trafficking of 26 kilograms of heroin that was seized at the Juba International Airport in November last year, the court findings revealed.

 The revelations surfaced during a testimony by the lead investigator into the drug trafficking syndicate in which five suspects were arrested in connection to the illicit substance.

In the session, the investigator had time to narrate the events of the arrest of the suspects as the defense lawyers fielded questions to him during the cross-examination.

According to the investigator, the consignment spent days before being to the Juba airport after it landed in the country. The suspects had planned to sneak it outside the country via Sudan Airway, but the plan was thwarted.

The investigator recounted how the drugs were packed in a big carton and covered carefully to beat oblivious search.

In the carton were electric gadgets which were used to stash and concealed with a kabra.

He revealed that the officers conducting the search at the airport only detected this when it appeared that the big carton could not enter through the machine during the checking process.

This forced the airport authorities to open and conduct a thorough search in the carton.

The suspects arrested over the incident included two Kenyans, a South Sudanese woman and two Nigerians.

They were Brian Osmego Fitao (31), Jackson Cairo Moniga (35), Zedida Andro Alizo (27), Dudo Noma (45) and Christopher Anahnon (23).

A sixth suspect is a Ugandan woman, Diana Bortel, 37, who was arrested and handed over to the law enforcers by the International Police.

The suspects will be tried under Article 383 subsection 2 (a) of the South Sudan Penal Code Act, 2008.

Defence lawyer for Mr Fitao and Mr Moniga, Ramadan Moga, said the procedure adapted by court was normal and was provided for under the criminal procedure code act 2008.

“The procedure adapted was normal, it is nothing out of the ordinary and so far everything is according to the law,” Advocate Moga admitted.

“Constitution and the penal code provide that any person who is accused of any offense must have his deem court and have also right to representation with lawyers of his choice,” he added.

He emphasised that the accused were deemed innocent until proven guilty as provided for in the principles of the law.

“So basically we are now in that process going through to determining at the end of the day whether the judge will pronounce the suspects innocent or guilty,” he concluded.

The presiding judge, Alexander Sabur, adjourned the second session—which was meant for the plea taking—to May 18 to allow the defense team to prepare. The adjournment was pursuant to a request by the prosecution and the defense team.

“As you see the number of suspects are many and their defense are also many and such case takes time for such process to finish so we are coming back on 18th May 2021,” he said.

“Court is long process and until the process finished for court to decide after the normal process.”

The law says whoever commits the offense of aggravated unlawful dealing in a dangerous drug, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to death or life imprisonment.