February 12, 2021
Writes for Rights
Albert Baron Ansu
In Kenema recently a fellow by the alias name Kontri was murdered in a fist fight. The late fellow was a former staff with Bo based education entrepreneur ALAWALIE.
You eager to know how Kontri died… The incident reportedly happened at Sumaila Street in Kenema early last Month. Mohamed, alias Kontri had gone to recover his debt for the notorious narcotics substance that has been unleashed in the Sierra Leone market.
Kush is selling in the underworld market the staple rice. Wherever it is coming from; we hear that it is from abroad and smuggled in the country; the menace it represents surpasses all other narcotics substance.
We are cautioned: speak no ill of the dead. And it is a good advice. But how can you explain the story of once hardworking young man squandered his opportunity working with one of the biggest investors in the second city of Bo, who runs one of the prestigious schools, ALAWALE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL.
Kontri had fallen out with his benefactor ALLAWALE after several incidences of breaking trust, damaging couple of cars in accident and reassigned to other duties. He did this over and over. Then it came to a time, asked to be paid off for service. ALLAWALE budged, paid him off and even rented a place for him. He was now on his own and had become a peddler of the hot cake in Town Kush. He reportedly went to Kenema from Bo, where his family resides and ill-fate landed in fist fight when another fellow that had credited the Kush from him refused to pay the sum of Le, 20.000.
Half Nelson: a wrestling hold in which one arm is thrust under the corresponding arm of an opponent and the hand placed on the back of the opponent’s neck…In Sierra Leonean krio parlance it is call prime. This was the condition that Kontri was subjected, choked, he could definitely not breathe for several minutes until he was murdered at the Kenema Sumaila street scene of crime. He died and the fellow who killed him was arrested, mobbed and handed over to the Police. He must have been charged.
It was his former boss ALLAWALE who had to foot the bill to convey the corpse of Mohamed Kontri to Bo where he was buried. His huge fans mourned his pitiful death. His children and wife could be sorely embarrassed by this incident. Many will be consoled that is his destiny. May his sould rest in peace.
Now, we are covering another ghastly incident in Bo district not unconnected with Kush narcotic intake. A young boy has hacked his step mother, chopping off her arm. The fellow attempted to flee but was apprehended and killed by angry mob. Many are of the conviction that he was desperate to go and smoke Kush and asked her step mother for some items, the lady was going to take bath when the boy rushed on her with a machete and started hacking her…
You can figure the level of desperation that is impelling youths to do the heinous thing so long as they can get the money, Le 5000 for the pinch of the greenish substance wrapped in piece of paper and sold to be laced with cigarette or Marijuana. Those who are partakers of Kush say it has sweet psychedelic effect. It has an arresting effect on the users. This is the trap and the danger, once you taste it you are unlikely to stay off. Then the consequence of undermining your productivity and even reliability becomes a contending issue. You are likely to lose your balance and nothing becomes sweet and useful to you but Kush.
Wherever Kush is coming from must be investigated and blocked. But it is not an easy task, because the high profit it is making. Just a pill sachet quantity of the dead weed costs close to 50USD Leone equivalent… It means there are big guys in the supply chain, there are of course law enforcement agents aiding and abetting the trafficking of the narcotics.
The implication of the problem to the younger generation now fixated about Kush is a worrisome development. It has the potential of undermining the schooling and thus truncating quality human resource potential of the country.