Richard Onyekachid Idi, a citizen of Nigeria, has been remanded in custody for the importation of cocaine into Sierra Leone.
The defendant made his initial appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 1 in Freetown. He is facing multiple charges, including two counts of possession of prohibited drugs, dealing in prohibited drugs without legal authority, and transporting prohibited drugs without lawful authorization.
On Saturday, 31 August 2024, at the Freetown International Airport in Lungi, located within the Port Loko Judicial District, the defendant was discovered to have thirty-eight (38) pellets of cocaine without legal authorization.
Additionally, he was implicated in dealing with cocaine and transporting prohibited drugs without appropriate legal authority.
During his testimony under oath, Detective Sergeant 9589 Prince J.K. Jabaty, affiliated with the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU), recounted that on Friday, 13 September 2024, a case file pertaining to the matter was assigned to him.
He noted that this case file included a voluntary caution statement, laboratory analysis, a report from the arresting officer, and a medical examination report regarding the suspect.
The officer presented these documents as evidence.
Furthermore, he testified that on 13 September 2024, he photocopied and forwarded these documents to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal counsel. The legal opinion provided by the DPP was duly submitted as evidence.
On Friday, 14 September 2024, the accused was formally charged in court.
Following the witness’s testimony, defense counsel S. Mansaray submitted a request for bail. However, Magistrate Kekura rejected the bail application. The accused has been remanded, and the case has been adjourned to 26 November 2024.
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