Four Jailed 27 Years for Drug Possession in Kenema

The High Court of Sierra Leone sitting in Kenema has sentenced four men to a combined total of 27 years’ imprisonment after finding them guilty of possession and use of prohibited drugs, contrary to Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act, 2008 (Act No. 10 of 2008).

The convictions were handed down by Hon. Justice Abdul Sheriff, Justice of the High Court of Kenema and Kailahun Judicial Districts, following guilty pleas entered by all four defendants.

The convicts are Mohamed Koroma, 27, of 4 Maxwell-Khobe Street; Musa Sannoh, 30, of 13 Kpasamoi Street; Tamba Nyuma, 34, of the same address; and Keifala Kamara, 25, of 12 Mariama Street, all residents of Kenema City.

Presenting the facts of the case, State Counsel Andrew F. Kamara told the court that on November 6, 2025, Mohamed Koroma was found in possession of 57 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be kush, a prohibited drug. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment at the Sierra Leone Correctional Centre (SLCC), Kenema.

The prosecution further stated that Musa Sannoh, on December 3, 2025, was apprehended in Kenema City with 31 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be kush. He also pleaded guilty and received a seven-year jail term.

According to the State Counsel, Tamba Nyuma was found on December 1, 2025, at the same location, in possession of 26 wraps of the same suspected substance, while Keifala Kamara was arrested on November 6, 2025, with a similar prohibited drug. Kamara pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, while Nyuma received a seven-year sentence, bringing the total custodial sentence to 27 years.

In delivering his judgment, Justice Abdul Sheriff said he considered the guilty pleas entered by the accused persons as well as the pleas in mitigation made on their behalf by Defence Counsel Patrick Kamara of the Legal Aid Board, Kenema, who urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

The judge nevertheless found the offences serious and convicted all four defendants accordingly. He further ordered that the seized drugs be destroyed in public view, in line with the law.

The ruling forms part of ongoing judicial efforts to curb drug abuse and trafficking in the eastern region of Sierra Leone.