By: Audrey Raymonda John
Mallal Bah, Idrissa Jalloh, Mamadou Samba Jalloh and Bai Bangura were on Thursday 7th September 2023, were all sent to prison by Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Court No.1 for allegedly importing substance used to manufacture Kush.
Whiles the first accused Fatmata Bangura was granted bail in the sum of one hundred thousand new Leones.
The accused persons Fatmata Bangura, Mallal Bah, Idrissa Jalloh, Mamadou Samba Jalloh and Bai Bangura were arraigned on six counts charges ranging from Conspiracy to import a substance used in the manufacturing of synthetic cannabinoid (Kush) and importation of a substance used in the manufacturing of synthetic cannabinoid (Kush) contrary to section 7(b) of the national drugs control Act, 2008, Act No 10 of 2008.
According to count one, the accused persons on a date between the 1st and 19th August 2023, in Sierra Leone conspired together with other person’s unknown to import three paper bags of a substance to wit, Marshmallow weighing 240 kilograms contained in a brown carton that is used in the manufacturing of synthetic cannabinoid also known as Kush from Conakry Guinea to Sierra Leone, without lawful authority.
The police further alleged on count two that the first accused Fatmata Bangura on the same dates through the Gbalamoya custom checkpoint, Kambia district imported three paper bags of substance to wit, Marshmallow weighing 240 kilograms contained in a brown carton that is used in the manufacturing of synthetic cannabinoid also known as Kush from China to Sierra Leone through Conakry Guinea without lawful authority.
Count three added that the first second, third and fourth accused conspired together with other person’s unknown to transport the said three paper bags of Kush from Conakry Guinea to Sierra Leone without lawful authority.
The police also alleged on counts four and five that the Idrissa Jalloh and Mamadou Samba Jalloh on Saturday 19 August 2023, transported three paper bags of substance suspected to be Kush onboard Peugeot car with registration No AE 4685 and Toyota Corolla car with registration No RC 6582 from Conakry to Pamlap Customs without lawful authority.
Whiles counts five stated that the Bai Bangura on the same date at No 3 Sierra Lane Goderich Freetown was found in possession of 18 containers of Acetone (100) chemical that is used for manufacturing of synthetic cannabinoid also known as Kush without lawful authority.
When the charges were read and put to the accused persons, no plea was taken.
Prosecution Witness No 1 Amos Foday Ngewuja led in evidence by Inspector Mabel Tarawally said he is a civil servant attached to the office of the president State House.
He said he recalled a date between 1st to 19 August 2023 and recognize third and fourth.
He said on the 19 August he was deployed at the Gbalamoya custom checkpoint Kambia district, and that whiles on duty at about 900 hours, the third accused Mamadou Samba Jalloh drove a vehicle at the checkpoint and met him there together with another officer.
”I asked the accused to come down from the car and told him to open the boot of the car, when I open the boot I saw some carton inside and asked the accused as to the content of the cartoon, but replied that they were tealeaf”, the witness said.
Ngewuja said he told him to open the teabag for him to see but said the accused told him that he is not the owner of the cartoon and so therefore would not open it.
” I then told him that if he do not open the cartoon he will not cross pass the checkpoint, and then called some of my colleagues that were working at the checkpoint with me and gave them the information, later we open the cartoon and saw a substance suspected to be Kush, thereafter we removed the cartoon from the vehicle and took it to our search room and called another officer to see what was in the cartoon”, he noted.
He said the items were handed over to the TOCU officers who took it to the Kambia police station where he made statements.
During cross examination by lawyer Campbell for the fourth accused persons, he suggested to the witness as to how many tealeaf he knows, the witness said he knows two types.
When he was asked as to whether some tealeafs are strange to him, he said they are not.
Prosecution witness No 2 Sergeant Abdul Sandy led in evidence by Inspector Mabel Tarawally said he is attached to Gbalamoya checkpoint.
He said he recognized third accused and recalled the 1st to19 August 2023, noting that he was on duty at the checkpoint when he saw a vehicle approaching the checkpoint; he said the driver who happens to be fourth accused was instructed to open the boot which he did.
He said they discovered some cartoons inside and asked the accused as to what was in the cartoon but said the accused told them that it was a tealeaf.
According to the witness, when the accused open the cartoon, he saw green substance suspected to be Kush and the accused was arrested and brought to the Kambia police station.
Lawyer Campbell in his cross examination confronted the witness that he arrested the accused because the color of the tealeafs was strange to him, he replied in the affirmative.
When he was asked as to whether he is a producer of a tealeafs, he said no.
Lawyer Gevao applied for bail on behalf of the first accused noting that, she and the fifth accused are husband and wife and that they have a seven years old kid who need a care giver.
He said none of the witnesses were able to identify the first accused.
Lawyer Claudius Campbell adopted the application made by lawyer Gevao, noting that if his clients are granted bail they will not in any way prejudice the matter as it will still stance squarely with the discretion of the bench.
Lawyer Jengo adopted the application made by his seniors, adding that his client will not interfere with the Prosecuting witness as he does not even know them.
Magistrate Ngegba in his ruling said being that the first accused is a care giver, bail was granted to her in the sum of one hundred thousand new Leones with one surety in like sum who must be employed and have an NCRA identity cards to be verified by him and approved by the DAR whiles the others were remanded in prison.
The matter was adjourned to the 11th September 2023.
