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High Court Judge, Honourable Justice Josephine F. Hinga has sentenced Adama Kamara and Yeanoh Kargbo to thirty years imprisonment each and Sia Kamara to fifteen (15) years imprisonment after they pleaded guilty of the offence of illegal possession of drugs contrary to Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act of 2008, Act No. 10 of 2008.
The prosecution alleged that on the Saturday 25th April 2025 about 1600 hours, a team of police personnel from Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU H/Q) headed by D/SP Andrew Rhonkoh conducted a raid at No. 7 Mills Street at Eastern Police, Mabala, Freetown and arrested Adama Kamara with loose quantity of Cannabis-sativa amounting to 800 grams.
On the same operation and at the same address, Yeanoh Kargbo was arrested with thirty (30) grams of Kush.
In a similar operation, officers attached at the Transnational Organized Crime Unit headed by DSP Samuel A. Tucker raided No. 32 Mabel Brown Street, Rokupa, and found loose quantity of kush amounting 1.8 kilograms in the possession of Sia Kamara without lawful authority. Sia Kamara, just like Yeanoh and Adama, pleaded guilty as charged and was convicted.
In his plea mitigation, defence lawyer C. Taylor-Young told the Court that the convicts are not only young women but also mothers and principal caregivers, adding that “sending them to prison for a long time will address the principle of deterrence but will also expose their children to danger.”
“My Lady, it is explicitly clear that the offences in themselves are serious, and their impact is unacceptable in society. However, I am pleading for the minimum sentence.” C. Taylor -Young appealed.
State prosecutor J. K Jan-Abu said that the state relied on the decision of the Court, noting that the convicts had pleaded guilty as charged and they were caught with heinous drugs that have destroyed the lives of our youths.
“My Lady, the above are good reasons that the bench will take into consideration when sentencing,” he said.
Delivering her sentence, Hon. Justice Hinga noted that the convict are mothers and principal caregivers. She said that notwithstanding, the offence is not only considered as one of the most offences, but one of the principal factors destroying the lives of our youthful population.
She noted that sentencing generally is a deterrence aiming at discouraging the public from committing similar offencess and also a means of safeguarding society, especially from dangerous or repeat offenders.
“On this note, I hereby sentence the convict Adama Kamara to thirty (30) years imprisonment, Yeanoh kargbo to thirty (30) years imprisonment and Sia Kamara to fifteen years in imprisonment,” Justice Hinga pronounced.
She also ordered that the said substance be destroyed in the presence of the Director of Public Prosecutions or his representative, the Deputy Master and Registrar of the High Court of Sierra Leone and other relevant authorities. She further ordered that a destruction certificate be submitted to the court.
