Freetown City Council Replies Local Government Ministry on Evidence of Kush Deaths

The Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, has responded to a letter from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs requesting evidence for her statement that 220 bodies related to kush deaths have been collected in Freetown this year.

In a letter dated 20 October 2025 and addressed to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, the Mayor confirmed that the Freetown City Council (FCC) collected 220 bodies from the streets of the city between 7 January and 8 October 2025. She said all cases are recorded and supported by photographs, though images of bodies claimed by family members have been withheld for privacy reasons.

Attached to the letter is a spreadsheet detailing each case, including the date of collection, location, gender, and whether the body was claimed by family or buried by the FCC. Of the 220 bodies, 50 were claimed by relatives, while the remaining 170 were buried by the city council.

The Mayor explained that, while FCC has no official legal mandate under the Local Government Act 2022 to collect corpses, the council has taken on the role of providing burials for destitute individuals who die on the streets. She noted that what was once an occasional occurrence has now become a regular practice.

FCC has recorded a sharp rise in street deaths since 2022. From 2020 to 2023, the annual average number of bodies collected from the streets was under 50. In 2025 alone, that number has surged. As of 13 August, FCC had collected 142 bodies. Between 13 August and 11 September, another 32 were collected. The majority of the deceased were young males.

The Mayor had previously raised this issue in a letter to the Minister of Internal Affairs on 17 September 2025, which was also copied to the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs. In that letter, she warned that the increase in street deaths, believed to be linked to Kush, was becoming a daily concern.

In her most recent response, the Mayor stated that FCC can assist the Ministry with locating the graves of the 170 unclaimed corpses should the government wish to conduct post-mortem examinations. However, she made it clear that the council will no longer collect corpses from the streets unless the Ministry provides clarity on which agency is responsible.

She also requested that the Ministry share contact details for the appropriate body to report such incidents moving forward.

The Ministry’s original letter, dated 9 October 2025, followed the Mayor’s appearance on AYV Television, where she stated that FCC had collected 220 bodies linked to Kush use. The Ministry described the statement as potentially alarming and requested full documentation, including medical or post-mortem evidence, within five working days.

As the exchange continues, the Mayor’s office said it remains available for further engagement, including briefing sessions to discuss the submitted data. She concluded by reaffirming that FCC is committed to public welfare but will not continue to collect and bury street deaths without clear guidance from the government.