4 Police Officers Sentenced to Jail for Possessing Illicit Substances

By Dauda Koroma

Magistrate Mark Ngegba, presiding over the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.1 on Monday 5th December 2022 passed sentence on four sacked Police Officers, after the Exhibits Clerk produced and tendered exhibits involved in the matter.

According to the Exhibit Clerk, Detective Sergeant 13905 Mohamed Usufu Jalloh, he was on duty on the 22nd November 2022 when he received from Sergeant 10831 Sesay A. the following exhibits; 226 cannabis sativa, 20 wraps of Kush, 6 tablets of tramadol and 1 wrap of cannabis Sativa. He said he registered the exhibits into the Court exhibit book as against the Serial No. 16/2022

It could be recalled that on Monday 28th November, 2022 four dismissed Police Officers, Haja Saffiatu Conteh, Alpha Kargbo, Ibrahim Collier Hazeley and Mohamed Nabieu pleaded guilty,  while the fourth accused Santigie Turay pleaded not guilty before the Court for the offences charged against them.

They were charged with six counts of unlawful possession of cannabis sativa, Kush and tramadol all contrary to Section 48 (1) of the Pharmacy and Drugs Act of 2001.

The particulars of offence indicated that the first accused, Haja Saffiatu Conteh, on Tuesday 8th November, 2022, at SILEA campus, Police Training School, Hastings, was found in possession of two hundred and twenty-six (226) wraps of cannabis sativa contained in a black plastic bag weighing at 20 grams without lawful authority.

The second accused ,Alpha Kargbo on the same date and place was found in possession of ten (10) wraps of Kush contained in a medical sachet weighing at 0.4 grams without lawful authority, and was also found in possession of six tablets of Tramadol also contained in a medical sachet weighing 0.2 grams without lawful authority.

Ibrahim Collier Hazeley was found in possession of 1 wrap of cannabis sativa weighing 0.4 grams without lawful authority and Santigie Turay was also found in possession of 1 wrap of cannabis sativa weighing 0.4 grams, while Mohamed Nabieu was found in possession of 1 wrap of Kush weighing 0.2 gram without lawful authority.

In his plea mitigation, Defense Counsel, Ahmed Atata Mansaray Esq. pleaded with the Bench to tamper justice with mercy, which according to him, his clients are first time offenders. The learned Lawyer pleaded with the Bench to pass minimal punishments on the convicts.

In his ruling, Magistrate Ngegba cited the previous status of the convicts and also the seriousness of the offences.

He therefore sentenced the first convict Haja Saffiatu Conteh to serve a jail term of 10 months, second convict Alpha Kargbo 12 months, third convict Ibrahim Collier Hazley to 6 months, while the fifth Mohamed Nabieu to serve a jail term of  8 months respectively, all to run concurrently.

The fourth accused Santigie Turay was remanded, while his matter comes up on Monday 12th December, 2022.

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