High Court Imposes 15-Year Sentence for Kush Trafficking

High Court Imposes 15-Year Sentence for Kush Trafficking

In a significant judicial action to combat the proliferation of illegal narcotics, Justice Cosmotina Jarrett of the High Court has sentenced Edward Bangura to 15 years' imprisonment for the unlawful possession of a substantial quantity of the synthetic drug, Kush.

The court further mandated the immediate destruction of the confiscated exhibit, a 50-kilogram batch of Kush. This process is to be executed under the strict supervision of the Deputy Master and Registrar of the High Court, senior police personnel, a representative from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), and the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) of the Sierra Leone Police.

A formal certificate of destruction must be filed with the court within seven working days, with the case adjourned to December 9, 2025, for the submission of this official document.

Justice Jarrett underscored the gravity of the ruling, positioning it as a pivotal measure in the ongoing national fight against drug trafficking and abuse. She stated that the sentence is intended to serve as a formidable deterrent to all individuals involved in the illegal drug trade.

State Prosecutor E. A. Deen presented the facts of the case, detailing Bangura's arrest on May 12, 2024, along Off Regent Road, Lumley, Freetown. The arrest occurred during a routine police patrol, which discovered Bangura asleep inside an unregistered, abandoned vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded 89 wraps of Kush, collectively weighing approximately 50 kilograms. The suspect was immediately taken into custody, and the seized wraps were transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for forensic analysis.

Laboratory confirmation verified that the wraps contained synthetic Kush drugs. Bangura provided a confessional statement admitting to the possession and subsequently entered a guilty plea when formally arraigned before the High Court.

In delivering the sentence, Justice Jarrett weighed both mitigating and aggravating factors. While acknowledging the convict’s expression of remorse, she emphasized the severe threat that drug abuse, particularly Kush, poses to public health, social stability, and, critically, to the nation's youth. The judge affirmed that a custodial sentence was necessary to provide a compelling deterrent and protect the public interest.

“In order to protect the public and send an unequivocal message that drug trafficking will not be tolerated, a term of custody is warranted,” Justice Jarrett declared. She imposed a fifteen-year prison sentence on Bangura, inclusive of the time already spent in pre-trial detention.