By: Yassah J Wright
The jurors of Criminal Court ‘A ‘ of judge Roosevelt Z. Willie, on March 10, 2026, brought down a guilty verdict against five women for trafficking 14 children from Liberia to Burkina Faso for resettlement benefit.
The defendants include, Halimatu Daramy, Hareita Beaye, Grace H. Sesay, Hawa Kamara, and Famata Doe are now waiting for sentencing, though the jury verdict was contested by their lawyers, public defense lawyers
The date scheduled for their sentencing hearing is Tuesday, March 16, 2026
They had earlier pleaded to the indictment that charged them with multiple offenses including trafficking in persons and criminal conspiracy, which carries huge prison terms and fines.
Trafficking in Persons a first-degree felony and criminal conspiracy second-degree felony under Liberian law.
According to the indictment, on Friday, April 16, 2025 at the hour 10:00AM, the defendants were found to be traveling with fourteen (14) children ranging from age 11 months to age 8 years.
The indictment further alleged that the defendants previously recruited and transported the minors through deception to the Republic of Mali where they were purportedly ‘rescued’ and transported back to the Republic of Liberia and were given Fifty Thousand Liberian Dollars ($50,000.00 Liberian Dollars) for said resettlement.
But still not being satisfied with the benefits the defendants received after being rescued from Mali, again decided trafficking the said 14 minors from their homes in Liberia enroute to Burkina Faso for the purpose of exploiting them to receive IOM Resettlement package, based on the number of children they have, but they were arrested by the Liberia Immigration Service and turned over to the Liberia National Police for investigation.
According to the indictment, defendants knowingly, purposefully, and willfully, placed the said minors lives at risk by position of the minor’s vulnerability and harboring them in preparation for such a long journey to Burkina Faso where there are reports of wars and bandits activity.
The indictment claimed that the acts of the defendants were contrary to Chapter 10 of the New Penal Laws of the Republic of Liberia and against the peace and dignity of the Republic of Liberia.
In the Criminal conspiracy Offense: a person is guilty of conspiracy to commit a crime if, with the purpose of promoting or facilitating its commission, he agrees with one or more persons to engage in or cause the performance of conduct which constitutes the crime, and any one or more of such persons does an act to effect the object of the conspiracy.