Sierra Leone Ambassador to Türkiye, Mohamed Hassan Kai-Samba has engaged cross session of the Sierra Leone Community in Türkiye, has discouraged them from participating in the sales, importation of drugs and other unlawful activities that have led to the massive deportation of their colleagues to Freetown.

The delegation comprised Ambassador Kai-Samba, the Deputy Head of Mission, Paul A. S. Minah, the Head of Chancery –HOC, Mr. Franklyn Brima Fawundu, the 3rd secretary, Jeneba Rogers (Mrs.), and the Protocol Officer at the Embassy, Mr. Hamid Boabai Kamara.

Ambassador Kai-Samba thanked the Sierra Leone community in Türkiye for making it possible to meet with him and members of his delegation, and expressed sympathy and regret for those Sierra Leoneans who were deported and also to those who were held in detention in Türkiye. He noted that the primary job of the Sierra Leone Embassy in Ankara, Türkiye, is to promote the image of the country overseas, and also to seek the interest of its citizens in the host country.

Additionally, Ambassador Kai-Samba informed the gathering that the Embassy was making frantic efforts to protect and guide its citizens in conformity with the laws of the host state, saying that the Mission has written several correspondences to the Turkish Government requesting to meet with the Sierra Leoneans incarcerated.

“In all of what we are doing as an Embassy to ensure you are safe here, many Sierra Leonean continue to engage in drug smuggling, selling and other forms of lawlessness. This act will keep destroying the name of the country in this nation. Let us desist from such practices and copy the good example of others who are engaged in legitimate business or work in Türkiye”, he admonished.

Ambassador Kai-Samba maintained that If Sierra Leoneans protected their images and put up their best behaviors, it would be easy for the Embassy to pursue their course, adding that if they continue smuggling drugs and engage in misconducts, it would make the job of representing them very difficult.

“I want to use this opportunity on behalf of the Embassy to thank you all for your attention. I want to appeal to all Sierra Leoneans to keep united here. It is only unity that can make everybody prosper in this foreign land. Division and partisan behavior is never going to make us prosper. Thank you and God bless us all”, Ambassador concluded.