By Mohamed J. Kargbo
Four individuals, including a bike rider, a laborer, a businesswoman, and an unemployed man, have been remanded in custody for allegedly manufacturing and distributing the harmful drug known as ‘Kush’ without lawful authority.
Andrew Momoh Jah, Daniel Kamara, Zainab Kamara, and Thomas Leigh Koroma appeared before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at Pademba Road Court No.1 in Freetown, facing thirteen charges related to drug production and trafficking.
The charges include manufacturing, transporting, collecting, supplying, selling, and possessing prohibited drugs, as well as handling substances and materials used in drug production, all without lawful authority.
According to the prosecution, the accused were caught on November 20, 2024, on No. 66 Kanu Drive, Temne Town, Allen Town in the Western Area of Freetown, where they were found producing and distributing ‘Kush’ along with other prohibited substances.
Detective Sergeant 5659 Amara Safiya from the Criminal Investigation Department testified for the prosecution, presenting key evidence including a search warrant and caution statements from Zainab Kamara and Thomas Leigh Koroma. The statements, recorded in English, were explained to the accused, who confirmed their accuracy with thumbprints.
Sergeant Safiya also revealed that on November 22, 2024, the Cyber Unit of the Sierra Leone Police provided call logs for all four accused, which were submitted as evidence in court. Following legal advice from the Law Officers’ Department on December 19, 2024, formal charges were filed against the suspects.
Due to the severity of the offenses, Magistrate Kekura denied bail and ordered that the accused be remanded at the Male and Female Correctional Centers. The case has been adjourned to February 19, 2025, for further hearings.
