Court of Appeal Sentences Businessman to Nine Years Imprisonment for Migrant Smuggling

The Court of Appeal Court No. 4, Main Law Courts Building has sentenced 40-year-old businessman Nuru Deen Bangapoma Bangura to nine years’ imprisonment for Migrant Smuggling contrary to Section 20(1) of the Anti‑Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act, 2022 (Act No. 12 of 2022).

The prosecution alleged that between 1 September 2023 and 30 April 2024 in Freetown the defendants conspired with others to smuggle migrants. It further alleged that the first defendant received money from Nyuma Lamin Tengbeh between 5 September 2023 and 25 April 2024 under the pretext of facilitating travel and stay in the United States, an arrangement the court found unlawful.

The prosecution said the first defendant arranged overseas travel for Tengbeh and his elder brother Sinnah Manley, persuaded the community headman to have the victim’s mother sell land for NLe 300,000,000, and subsequently demolished a perimeter fence protecting the land. A new fence was later erected by the subsequent purchaser.

Tengbeh did not travel to the United States; he was taken to Guinea and later flown to Kazakhstan, where the prosecution said he remains in poor health.

Seven witnesses were called for the prosecution; the convict called one witness; the second defendant called none.

Honourable Justice Tonia Barnett found decisive evidence, including the first defendant’s own statements, that he had travelled with Tengbeh to Kazakhstan and that he was not a consular officer, member of a humanitarian organisation, or a licensed facilitator for cross‑border migration or resettlement.

In her final judgement, Honourable Justice Tonia Barnett found, the first defendant, Nuru Deen Bangapoma Bangura, is guilty on count Two (Migrant Smuggling), both defendants were acquitted and discharged on count one (conspiracy to commit migrant smuggling).

Nine (9) years’ imprisonment on Count Two were levied on Nuru Deen Bangapoma Bangura, The property at No. 67 Mongegba, Regent Road, Grafton, Freetown is to be retrieved by the Undersheriff’s Department and returned to its original owner, The victim is to be paid NLe 200,000.00 immediately for emotional trauma and the court ordered the repatriation of the victim currently in Kazakhstan in poor health. The passport of the second defendant, Sheik Ibrahim, is to be handed over to him by the Court Registrar.

The defendants were represented by I. Turay Esq.