Defiant Freetown Businessman Faces Illegal Construction Charges
Legal proceedings against businessman Kawusu Jabbie intensified on Friday, August 7, 2026, as the prosecution presented damning testimony regarding alleged unauthorized construction and the disregard of government directives in Freetown.
The first witness, Sahr Mark Kalawa, Director of the Department of Country Planning at the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Country Planning, provided a detailed account of the ministry’s intervention at a site along Wilkinson Road.
Mr. Kalawa testified that his department launched an investigation in early January 2026 following a formal complaint by the Bontine Jonny family. The family alleged that Jabbie had not only encroached upon their private property but was also obstructing a critical municipal drainage channel.
“On January 1, 2026, I led a senior delegation to the site,” Mr. Kalawa informed the court. “We observed the defendant constructing a structure directly over a primary drainage artery. This infrastructure is essential for flood mitigation. We immediately issued a verbal stop-work order and demanded the production of valid development permits.”
According to the witness, these directives were met with open defiance. Mr. Kalawa noted that Jabbie instructed laborers to persist with the work despite multiple warnings. The Director further cited a high-level intervention involving the Deputy Secretary, during which the defendant reportedly refused to comply with the Ministry’s orders.
“The defendant’s response was a flat refusal to halt construction, despite the legal weight of the directives from the Ministry,” the Director added.
A subsequent multi-agency inspection—comprising community leaders and local authorities—verified that the construction was unauthorized. The site visit confirmed encroachment into protected wetlands and the disturbance of vital utility corridors and public roadways.
As part of the evidence, the prosecution tendered a formal report titled “Land Use and Development Control.” Mr. Kalawa explained that the document, now marked as Exhibits A1 through A9, details multiple violations, including building without permits and the flagrant breach of a formal stop-work order.
Underscoring the environmental risks and the contribution to local flooding, the prosecution argued against the defendant’s release. Magistrate John Manso Fornah, citing the gravity of the allegations and the potential threat to public safety, denied bail. Kawusu Jabbie has been remanded until the next hearing, scheduled for August 14, 2026.
The case continues to highlight the ongoing struggle of regulatory bodies to enforce urban planning laws against unauthorized developments that compromise Freetown’s infrastructure and environmental integrity.
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