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Kandeh Samura, an alleged human trafficker, was recently granted bail in the sum of NLe 50,000 by Justice Reginald Fynn JA at the Siaka Stevens Street High Court.
The bail conditions stipulated that Samura must present two sureties, one of whom must be a recognized religious leader from either a mosque or a church.
Samura faces serious allegations under the Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act of 2022, charges that he strongly denies. He is accused of conspiracy to commit human trafficking, human trafficking, and migrant smuggling. The alleged offenses occurred between May 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023, in Freetown.
During court proceedings, Samura testified that his involvement in the case was linked to his work as an agent for Patrick Campbell, a Sierra Leone Law School student specializing in Schengen visa processing. According to Samura, he was not directly engaged in human trafficking activities. He asserted that Campbell successfully facilitated visa applications for two individuals, Alhaji Kamara and Binta Bah, who now reside in Belgium and Germany.
The case first emerged when prosecution witness Alpha Gbla sought Samura’s assistance in obtaining a visa to Europe for his younger brother, Gibrilla Gbla. Samura claimed that he handed over Gibrilla’s passport to Campbell but received no further progress after making an initial payment of NLe 21,000. He further stated that a substantial portion of the money, amounting to $1,200, was directed to Campbell for visa documentation purposes.
Despite his arrest and detention for over a month by the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Samura maintained his innocence. He explained that the visa application process, initially facilitated by Campbell, was non-refundable when it failed, leading to Gbla’s request for a refund.
Samura’s defense team, led by attorney Leon Jenkins-Johnson, challenges the prosecution’s claims that he collaborated with others to traffic migrants abroad. State counsel Jessy Tucker is leading the case for the prosecution, with the next hearing set for October 17, 2024.
