By: Audrey Raymonda John
A 40-year-old Senegalese national, Fatou Zingie Gueya, has been remanded by Hon. Justice Mark Ngagba of High Court No. 8 in Freetown over the alleged unlawful possession of cocaine at the Freetown International Airport, Lungi.
The accused made her first appearance before the court on four counts of unlawful possession of prohibited drugs, contrary to Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act, 2008 (Act No. 10 of 2008).
According to the prosecution, on 3 April 2026, at the Freetown International Airport in Lungi, Port Loko District, North-West Region, the defendant was found in possession of two parcels containing cocaine hydrochloride, weighing approximately 1.8 kilograms, without lawful authority.
The prosecution further alleged that on the same date, the accused unlawfully transported the prohibited drug from a hotel in Lungi to the Freetown International Airport.
After the charges were read and explained to the defendant through an interpreter, Pateh Bah, who translated the proceedings into French, she pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The court heard that the defendant had boarded an Air Sénégal flight from Senegal and transited through The Gambia before travelling to Freetown International Airport. Upon arrival, she was allegedly intercepted at the luggage screening point by Detective Inspector Hindolo Bundu Kamanda, who arrested her after two parcels containing a white powdery substance suspected to be cocaine were discovered in her possession.
State Prosecutor N. Jalloh applied for an adjournment to allow prosecution witnesses to testify at the next hearing.
Hon. Justice Mark Ngagba granted the application and adjourned the matter to 17 June 2026 for further proceedings.
The defendant is represented by defence counsel M.K. Dauda.
The accused remains in custody pending the continuation of the trial.