Woman amongst six convicted for drug offences in Madang
A 39- year- old woman from Markham District in the Morobe Province is amongst six people convicted and sentenced to 25 years each in prison by the Madang District Court for drug-related offences yesterday [Thursday].
The woman, Loah Kada; from Sareowan Village in Markham, was with three male accompliches when they were apprehended by police at Bilbil Village, on Madang's south coast; on April 29th, 2025 following a tip- off from police sources.
The court found the four were en route to Kimbe in West New Britain province when people became suspicious of their movement and reported them to police.
They had, in their possession, sixteen neatly wrapped parcels of cannabis [marijuana], weighing 18. 3 kilograms, which they denied any knowledge of until further interrogation by police.
They four had gotten on an outboard dinghy from Bilbil Village and were on their way out to Kimbe when policemen intercepted them at Bilia Island, just outside Madang Town. Even though they initially denied having any knowledge of the packed parcels onboard the boat, further police investigation revealed they were the only passengers onboard the vessel and the bag containing the parcels of marijuana was the only luggage in their possession.
The four appeared for mention at the Madang District Court on May 6, and all pleaded not guilty. They were kept in remand at Beon jail until they reappeared in court this week [Thursday] before Senior Provincial Magistrate, Fridolin Kambibel. They maintained their 'no guilty' plea until one of them asked the court to release the other three, including the female, whilst he takes ownership of the cannabis.
The court found all four were implicated and had conspired to convey the drugs to Kimbe and sell.
Further, the court established that their suspicious movement at Bilbil Village was consistent with the report received by police.
The court found each of them severely guilty of Being in Possession of Controlled Substance, namely marijuana and sentenced each of them to 25 years in prison with hard labour.
The hefty penalties will serve as a form of deterrence and awareness to the general public, especially the youths and those who engage in illicit drug activities.
Meanwhile, the other two drug offenders who were also convicted yesterday (Thursday) are 17-year-old Lloyd Yori from Maringe Village in the Worsera-Gawi District, East Sepik Province, and Benjamin Nowatu, a male adult from Motu Village in the Kabwum District of Morobe Province.
Both will serve out a prison term of five years each.
Yori was picked up by police on April 28 at the Botanical Garden in town with 37 marijuana rolls that were selling at K1 each and weighed 10 grams in total.
Nowatu was also intercepted by police in town as he was trying to get on a PMV.
Police found in his possession two parcels of Controlled Substance, namely marijuana; weighing in at 353 and 364 grams respectively.