Abdul Sillia, a 19-year-old shoe maker hailing from the Kenema district, had his first appearance before Magistrate Abdul Carew at the renowned Magistrate Court Number One.

The courtroom buzzed with anticipation as legal proceedings commenced in a significant legal milestone.

Sillia is at the center of a single-count charge, linked to the possession of kush, an illicit substance outlined under Section 48 (1) of the 2021 Pharmacy and Drugs Act.

The alleged offense, as recounted by law enforcement authorities, occurred on August 9th, 2023, within the I.D.A section of Sierra Leone’s eastern province.

Law enforcement’s account states that Abdul Sillia was apprehended with seven (7) wraps of kush, leading to his subsequent legal predicament.

In the courtroom, the charge was formally presented to Abdul Sillia, who entered a guilty plea. The proceedings were adjourned to August 15th, 2023, for the recording of the plea and sentencing.

On the adjourned date, Abdul Sillia made his second appearance, pleading for clemency. In response, Magistrate Abdul Carew handed down a sentence of six months’ imprisonment at the male correctional center within the Kenema judicial district, or the alternative option of paying a fine bond amounting to Le1,500 new Leones.

As Abdul Sillia was led away to the male correctional center in Kenema by a police officer, tears streamed down his face, marking a somber conclusion to his legal journey.

The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Daniel Konneh from the Legal and Justice Support Department at Kenema Police Station, spearheaded the case against Abdul Sillia.

With this verdict, the curtain falls on this particular legal matter, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of those involved.