Two Individuals Charged with Illegal Possession of Sixteen Bales of Cannabis

On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, two individuals were charged with the unlawful possession of sixteen bales of cannabis sativa. The police presented extensive evidence, including forensic analyses and voluntary statements, to Magistrate Augustine Brima Samura at Pademba Road Court No. 8.

The accused, identified as 49-year-old businesswoman Yama Kaprr Kamara and 38-year-old farmer Abu Conte, face charges under Section 8(a) of the National Drug Control Act 2008. According to police reports, they were found in possession of the compressed cannabis bales on April 27, 2025, in Makondu Village, Tonkolili District, Northern Province.

Neither defendant entered a plea when the charges were formally read. The prosecution, led by Inspector Aminata Korio, presented a variety of evidence, including the suspects' voluntary caution statements, arrest reports, a search warrant, and a forensic analysis report confirming the substance as cannabis.

The police confirmed that the suspects' voluntary statements were obtained on April 29, 2025, recorded in English following a caution in Krio. The sixteen bales of suspected cannabis were subsequently transferred to court officials for secure custody. The forensic analyst's report, received on May 7, 2025, definitively identified the substance as cannabis, and all evidence was duly presented to the court.

Additionally, the prosecution introduced a legal opinion from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), which led to the formal charging of the accused on May 29, 2025. The same procedural protocols observed during the initial cautioning were adhered to for the formal charge.

Defense counsel, C. Kamara, submitted a bail application on behalf of the accused. However, Magistrate Samura denied the application, citing the seriousness of the offense.

The accused have been remanded to the male and female correctional facilities in Freetown, and the case has been adjourned until June 20, 2025.