By Alvin Lansana Kargbo
A decisive move aimed at accelerating the prosecution of drug-related offences in Sierra Leone saw Principal Magistrate Hadiru Daboh of the Kenema Magistrate Court on 3 December 2025 commit four defendants to the High Court for trial on charges of possession and use of prohibited drugs, contrary to Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act No. 10 of 2008.
The accused persons, Mariama Kebbie, a trader from Dauda Town; Lahai Sannoh a diamond miner from Konia Village; Joseph Koroma, a farmer from Kpetama 2 Village; and Vandy Boima, a farmer from Tawahun Village, were each charged with various offences involving Kush and Cannabis Sativa. All four hail from communities within the Kenema District.
According to the particulars of offence presented in court, on 6 November 2025, Mariama Kebbie was found in possession of forty (40) wraps of Kush at Dauda Town. Similarly, on 24 November 2025, Lahai Sannoh was apprehended with fourteen (14) wraps of Kush at Konia Kpidima Village in the Lower Bambara Chiefdom. On 25 November 2025, Joseph Koroma was discovered to be in possession of both a quantity of Cannabis Sativa and its seeds at Kpetama 2 Village. In another case, on 4 November 2025, Vandy Boima was arrested at Tawahun Village with fifty-nine (59) wraps of Kush.
Following a thorough review of the prosecution’s evidence, Principal Magistrate, Hadiru Daboh, ruled that the State had successfully established a prima facie case against the accused. He stated that the nature of the offences and the clear evidentiary record left him with no alternative but to commit the matters to the High Court for full trial.
Visibly concerned, Principal Magistrate Hadiru Daboh lamented the devastating impact of Kush and other narcotic substances on the country’s youth population. He referenced the recent directive issued by the Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, Hon. Justice Kumba Kamanda, who signed a memorandum mandating stricter and expedited judicial processes for drug-related cases under the National Drugs Control Act. The new Practice Direction officially came into effect on 1 December 2025.
In line with that directive and due to the severity of the allegations, no bail was granted to the four defendants. They were remanded at the Sierra Leone Correctional Centre (SLCC) in Kenema pending their appearance before the High Court.
The cases were prosecuted by Police Sergeant David Idriss, PC 15361 Vonja Thomas, PC 13576 Sillah Fatmata and PC 13563 Zainab Fornah, who presented the State’s evidence during the committal proceedings.
The High Court is expected to commence hearings in the coming weeks as Sierra Leone intensifies its crackdown on the trafficking, distribution and consumption of dangerous drugs across the country.
