By: Audrey Raymonda John
Alpha Marrah has been remanded in custody by Hon. Justice Mark Ngegba of High Court No. 8 in Freetown after the prosecution tendered drug exhibits in the ongoing trial involving allegations of unlawful possession and dealing in cannabis sativa weighing approximately 1.5 kilograms.
The accused made another court appearance on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, where he maintained his not guilty plea to two charges: unlawful possession of prohibited drugs, contrary to Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act, 2008, and dealing in prohibited drugs, contrary to Section 7(c) of the same Act.
According to the prosecution, on 30 December 2025, at Moa Wharf Community in Freetown, the defendant was allegedly found in possession of one and a half parcels of cannabis sativa containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), weighing approximately 1.5 kilograms, without lawful authority.
The State further alleged that on the same date and at the same location, the defendant was involved in dealing in prohibited drugs without lawful authority.
Led in evidence by State Counsel A. Jalloh, Detective Police Constable 13682 John Umaru testified that he is attached to the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU). He told the court that his responsibilities include the registration of case and enquiry files, the custody of exhibits, and the tendering of exhibits before the court when required.
Witness Umaru testified that on 31 December 2025, while on duty at the station, the Crime Officer, Detective Inspector Joseph Steven, brought to his office two and a half black polythene bags containing dry leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, along with 202 wraps of dry leaves also suspected to be cannabis sativa.
He further stated that samples of the substance were sent for forensic analysis and that the exhibits were subsequently registered in the court exhibit register as Exhibit No. 23/2025. According to the witness, the exhibits have remained in police custody since their registration.
The exhibits were later tendered and admitted into evidence as part of the prosecution’s case.
At the conclusion of the examination-in-chief, defence counsel M.K. Dauda of the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board cross-examined the witness.
During cross-examination, Umaru confirmed that he received the exhibits on 31 December 2025 and that they had remained in police custody for approximately five months. He further testified that upon receiving the exhibits, he examined, labelled, and secured them in a designated storage area.
Following the witness’s testimony, Hon. Justice Mark Ngegba adjourned the matter and remanded the accused in custody until 17 June 2026 for the continuation of the trial.