MONROVIA – Criminal Court ‘C’ Judge Joe Barcko on Friday, July 18, 2025, sentenced Peach Bility, son of Nimba County District #7 Representative Musa Bility, to four years in prison for drug-related offenses. According to our judiciary correspondent, the court handed down a reduced sentence following Bility’s voluntary admission of guilt and appeal for leniency. The ruling came after Bility pleaded guilty to charges involving the unlicensed possession and sale of controlled substances.
The charges stem from Bility’s arrest at the Miami Beach Coconut Plantation in Mamba Point, Monrovia, where authorities alleged he operated without a license while trafficking illicit drugs. Initially pleading not guilty, Bility later reversed his plea, prompting Judge Barcon to dismiss the empaneled jury and request a probation report, which was submitted ahead of sentencing.
As part of a plea agreement negotiated with the Ministry of Justice, Bility’s guilty plea has led to the expected dismissal of other charges originally included in the indictment. The exact terms of the agreement, including whether the full four-year sentence will be served without parole, remain undisclosed.
The case has drawn significant public interest, particularly following a Supreme Court decision last year ordering Bility’s release from detention. On November 15, 2024, he was granted bail through a Criminal Appearance Insurance Bond approved by Resident Circuit Judge A. Blamo Dixon. That decision followed a petition for a writ of certiorari filed by his legal team, which successfully challenged the revocation of his bond by Judge Dixon.
Bility had been held in custody since his arrest on March 24, 2024, by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency. The charges included not only drug trafficking but also the unlicensed transport of controlled substances, both serious offenses under Liberian law.
His release last year sparked controversy, with advocacy group Green Media Campaigners calling for his immediate re-arrest, citing public safety concerns. The group noted that Bility’s charges were non-bailable under existing laws and warned that leniency in the case would undermine the country’s fight against drug-related crimes.
Friday’s sentencing marks a turning point in the high-profile case, as the son of a sitting lawmaker begins his prison term. The outcome is likely to intensify the national conversation around justice, privilege, and Liberia’s struggle to combat drug abuse and trafficking.
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