By: Audrey Raymonda John
Umar Mansaray, a businessman, has appeared once again before Magistrate Augustine Brima Samura at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 8, facing four serious charges relating to the unlawful possession of prohibited drugs and precursor chemicals used in drug manufacturing.
The charges include counts 1 and 2: Unlawful possession of prohibited drugs without lawful authority, allegedly committed on July 1, 2025, at a police checkpoint in Bo, Southern Province. Counts 3 and 4: Possession of precursor chemicals used for drug manufacturing without lawful authority, allegedly committed on July 22, 2025, in Waterloo, Western Area. This includes possession of 13 transparent plastic containers suspected to contain chemicals used in drug production. When the charges were read to the accused, no plea was taken.
Prosecution Opens Case with Investigating Officer’s Testimony.
Inspector Aminata Korio, leading the prosecution, called DPC 13849 Saffia Amara, an investigator attached to the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU), as the first witness.
DPC Amara told the court that on August 4, 2025, he was assigned a transferred case of unlawful possession from the B/West Division. The case file included arresting officer’s report, voluntary caution statement from the accused, receipt of the case file.
These documents were presented and tendered in court as part of the official records.
On the same day, DPC Amara and Inspector Stephen Alpha Turay obtained an additional voluntary caution statement from the accused in Krio, which was translated and recorded in English. The statement was read back to the accused, who confirmed its accuracy by affixing his right-hand thumbprint. The investigators signed as witnesses, and the document was tendered into evidence.
On August 22, 2025, acting on intelligence, the investigation team conducted a search at Old Motor Road, Freetown, where several items of police interest were found, including: Sierra Leonean and Uruguayan passports (one with the accused’s photo and the name Umar Kallon Mansaray), precursor chemicals, marshmallow leaves and other materials relevant to the charges
A search warrant was obtained, executed, and tendered in court along with a request for forensic analysis of the seized items. On August 25, 2025, a request was made to the Immigration Department to verify the authenticity of the passports. The request, along with the forensic analysis report received on August 27, was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
By August 29, legal advice from the DPP was received, and on August 30, the accused was formally charged. The charge sheet and legal advice were both produced and tendered in court.
During cross-examination, Defence Counsel Cecilia F. Peacock Esq. questioned the investigator, but Magistrate Samura refused bail, citing the seriousness of the charges and potential risk to public safety.
The matter has been adjourned to September 8, 2025, for further proceedings.