A South Sudanese court sentenced a Brazilian woman to two years in prison on Friday for transporting drugs into the country.

Juliana D`Oliviera was arrested at the Juba International Airport on 31 July 2022 after three kilograms of cocaine was found in her possession.

During the court verdict in Juba on Friday, High Court Judge Duoth Kulang sentenced Juliana D`Oliviera to two years imprisonment effective from the date of arrest on 31 July 2022 and later to be deported to her country. The judge also imposed a fine of 500,000 SSP on her.

D`Oliviera was charged under Section 384 of the South Sudan Penal Code Act 2008 with unlawful possession or use of dangerous drugs.

 The presiding judge also fined her two aides Taban Bosco Musa, a South Sudanese airport security Officer, and Onyimba Joseph, a Nigerian national,  with 500,000 South Sudanese Pounds or a one-year jail term. 

D`Oliviera earlier told the court that she was sent by someone in Brazil to deliver the drugs to a person who security operatives failed to arrest in Juba.

Reacting to the court verdict, Tong John Clement, a defense counsel of the convict, welcomed the ruling saying justice has been served.

“In my opinion, it is good. It shows the power our courts have in dispensing justice considering the fact that the case presented by the public prosecution was insufficient. The case was lacking a lot of evidence, that is why we got this judgment which was good in the general context,” John said.

Meanwhile, the prosecution counsel Loro Silvio Loro expressed dissatisfaction with the court ruling.

According to the law, the convict has 14 days to appeal against the court ruling. - Radio Tamazuj