A Water Taxi Operator serving Western Freetown has been dragged before the High Court in Freetown over the alleged loss of a passenger’s hand luggage valued at NLe56,300, with claims of breach of contract, negligence and emotional distress.

Zainabu Alberta Gittens has sued Sea Coach Express, alleging that the company failed in its duty of care after her hand luggage went missing during a trip to Lungi Airport. The case was filed at the High Court on Friday, January 9, 2026.

According to court documents seen by Politico Newspaper, the incident occurred on May 31, 2024, when Ms. Gittens travelled on Sea Coach Express’s water taxi and bus service en route to London. She claims she boarded the water taxi with her hand luggage, which was carried onto the boat by an employee of the company.

The documents state that “on arrival at the defendant’s dock in Lungi, the plaintiff boarded the defendant’s bus and her hand luggage was handed over to the driver of the defendant’s bus, who took possession of the hand luggage. The bus then drove the plaintiff and other passengers to the airport.”

Related News

Ms. Gittens further alleges that upon arrival at the airport, she disembarked from the bus and waited to receive her hand luggage, but it was never returned to her.

According to the claim, she immediately reported the matter to Sea Coach Express’s manager and to the airport police. She says the manager assured her that CCTV footage would be reviewed and that she would be contacted. However, she alleges that six weeks passed without any feedback or communication from the company.

Politico reported that following the lack of response, Ms. Gittens instructed her lawyer to formally write to Sea Coach Express on July 11, 2024. The letter demanded payment for the total value of the lost items, damages for negligence and emotional distress, as well as legal costs. Lawyers representing Sea Coach Express responded by denying liability for the missing hand luggage.

In her statement of claim, Ms. Gittens argues that Sea Coach Express breached its contractual obligation of carriage and was negligent in handling luggage that was under its control. The particulars of negligence include allegedly exposing the luggage to loss, theft, misplacement or misdelivery through inadequate supervision of staff, failing to deliver the luggage to her upon disembarkation at the airport, and failing to provide any feedback after the loss was reported.

She is also claiming special damages, stating that she suffered emotional distress during her flight to London and afterwards, and that she has not recovered from both the loss of her belongings and what she describes as the defendant’s treatment of her. The claim further states that as a result of the incident, she has stopped using water taxi services and now either drives to the airport or uses the regular ferry.

The High Court has ordered Seacoach Express to enter an appearance, either in person or through its lawyers, within 14 days. The court warned that failure to do so could result in judgment being entered against the company in its absence.

The matter is expected to come up for further proceedings once the defendant responds to the court order.