Forty-Eight Individuals Jailed in Kenema for the Drug-Related Offense of Frequenting

Forty-Eight Individuals Jailed in Kenema for the Drug-Related Offense of Frequenting

Forty-eight individuals apprehended by the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) in Kenema have been remanded to the Sierra Leone Correctional Centre (SLCC) for "frequenting," a charge commonly associated with drug offenses. They face imprisonment or an alternative government fine.

At Kenema Law Courts, eighteen accused persons appeared before Principal Magistrate Hadiru Daboh of Magistrate Court No. 1. They were charged with frequenting premises known for illegal drug use, specifically the smoking of Cannabis sativa or Kush. 

The incidents reportedly occurred on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at Nyandeyama Section, Blama Road, Demby Street, and Kaisamba Terrace in Kenema city.

All 18 pleaded guilty and sought mercy. 

They were sentenced to thirty-six months imprisonment at the SLCC or an alternative fine of Five Hundred New Leones (NLe 500) each. The prosecution was led by ASP Sulaiman Kamara Esq. Defence Counsel Adu Foday Esq represented the female accused, while Dauda Gbow Esq represented the 17th accused.

In a separate hearing, thirty additional individuals appeared before Her Worship, Magistrate Wilbri Hamida M. John of Magistrate Court No. 2, for a similar offense. Prosecutor Inspector Aiah Mafinda Teh stated that these accused persons frequented Ahmadiyya Junction, Dama Road, and Circular Road, areas known for the use of Cannabis sativa or Kush.

All 30 pleaded guilty and were sentenced to two years imprisonment each at the Sierra Leone Correctional Centre in Kenema or an alternative government fine of One Thousand New Leones (NLe 1,000).