By: Audrey Raymonda John
A police officer, identified as Augustine Tamba Saffa, and his girlfriend, Isha Conteh, have been committed to the High Court for further trial on charges related to the possession of over 700 wraps of Cannabis Sativa. The two defendants were sent to the High Court on Monday, October 27, 2025, by the Principal Magistrate of Freetown Magistrate Court No.1, Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah.
Both defendants face two charges: Possession of a Prohibited Drug and Dealing with a Prohibited Drug Without Lawful Authority.
According to the indictment, on September 1, 2025, at Yakama Street, New Site, Kenema, in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone, Officer Saffa was found in possession of 799 wraps of Cannabis Sativa without lawful authority. The indictment further states that on the same date and at the same location, Isha Conteh was found in possession of three parcels of Cannabis Sativa, also without lawful authority.
Before the committal, Magistrate Jah stated that, after reviewing the evidence presented by the prosecution, he was satisfied that the case had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. He noted that the prosecution had called witnesses whose testimonies corroborated the charges, and the wraps of Cannabis Sativa were duly tendered as evidence, forming part of the prosecution’s case.
Magistrate Jah therefore committed Officer Saffa and Isha Conteh to the High Court for further trial.
When asked if they would like to explain their side of the story at the High Court, both defendants confirmed they would. They also expressed their intention to call witnesses in their defense.
At the end of the proceedings, the defendants signed the committal form and were remanded to the Male and Female Correctional Facilities, pending their trial at the High Court.