By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
Swiftly responding to the allegations of Cocaine involving personnel in the Sierra Leone Embassy in Guinea, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Timothy Musa Kabba has summoned the head of the Embassy to Freetown in order to respond to relevant questions.
The Foreign Affairs Minister revealed this urgent decision made by his Ministry on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone during a special press conference held on Thursday 16th January 2025 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Conference room. Acknowledging the importance of the matter, the conference was jointly organized with the Ministry of Information and Civic Education and was attended by the Inspector General of Police.
During the press conference, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation first read out the Government official press statement responding to the situation. In the press statement dated 16th January 2025, Minister Timothy reads…
“On the 13th of January 2025, the Government of Guinea Conakry informed the Government of Sierra Leone that a vehicle belonging to the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Conakry was impounded by the Guinean authorities. The driver and the occupant of the vehicle have been held in suspicion of possession of substances suspected to be Cocaine.
In light of this serious development, the Government has urgently recalls Sierra Leone Ambassador to Guinea, Ambassador Mr. Alimamy Bangura to Freetown to provide full account of the incident.”
In addition, the Sierra Leone Foreign Affairs Minister strongly assured that a thorough investigation had been launched to determine how the incident occur and to hold all those responsible accountable. He also informed that the Government of Sierra Leone is collaborating with the Guinean authorities to verify the fact of the matter, reiterating that anyone found guilty of breaking the Sierra Leone and International drug trafficking laws would face the full force of the law.
According to the Minister, the items found in the vehicle were seven (7) Suit Cases of substance identified to be Cocaine and two thousand (2,000) United States Dollars. Those arrested were the driver to the vehicle and another person in the vehicle.
Responding to questions in the press conference in order to clarify some misinformation, the Foreign Affairs Minister said the Ambassador was not in any house arrest as he is protected under the Geneva convention laws. It was also clarified that the vehicle arrested with the drugs was not the direct vehicle of the Ambassador with the number CMD1 nor the Ambassador was in the vehicle arrested. It was also clarified that the vehicle in question was leaving Sierra Leone to Guinea, raising concerns of the efficiency of the security forces from Sierra Leone who were in duty.
As the incident has to do with security matters based on the fact that the vehicle was from directly from Sierra Leone, the Inspector General of Police who was in attendance of the press conference, also made a brief statement. The IGP said he would launch an investigation to identify all those who were on duty, adding that anyone found guilty of inefficiency on their jobs would face stringent disciplinary actions. On the bigger picture, he assured that when the matter would be transferred to the Sierra Leone police, those that would be found guilty would face the full force of the law.
