In one of my recent articles on hard drugs “Keeping hard drugs in cemeteries Sierra Leone’ to be precise, I said that hard drugs like Cocaine and Brown-brown are kept in the cemetery until it is distributed to retailers before it hit the market. Well just few weeks after the publication of the article, the Principal Magistrate of the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No.1, Dr. Abou Bhkarr Binneh Kamara, has remanded at the Pademba Road Male Correctional Centre One Joseph Kargbo, an alleged cocaine dealer, on 25th January2017. After he was arrested and arraigned for allegedly being found selling dangerous drugs, to wit cocaine.
The accused was charged with two counts of dealing in prohibited drug to wit cocaine, contrary to Section 7(C) of the National Drugs Control Act of 2008 and unlawful possession of prohibited drug to, wit Cocaine, contrary to Section 8 of the same Act. The prosecution alleges that the accused on Saturday, 14th January, 2017 at Aberdeen Beach Road in Freetown, was found in possession of six wraps of the banned substance without lawful authority. According to police report, on Friday, 13th January, 2017 police got a tip-off that a certain individual named Joseph Kargbo was selling hard drugs at ‘Plan B’ and other night clubs at the Aberdeen Beach vicinity.
The report states that between the hours of 23:00 and 00:00, a team of Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) personnel, headed by Crime Officer, Detective Inspector Mohamed Sebbeh Sanu, left for Beach Road, Aberdeen, where a drug interdiction operation was conducted on the accused and that six (6) ties of white substance suspected to be cocaine were found, leading to the arrest of the culprit. The report continues that when the officers arrived at the crime scene the accused threw a Gold Seal Cigarette packet over a nearby fence into a certain unfinished building, adding that when the packet was discovered by the team of police officers, six wraps of white substance were found therein. The reports states that when the accused was interrogated, the accused admitted selling the banned drugs and that it was supplied to him by one Alpha
The Aberdeen Beach area has for long been the safe heavens for hard drug barons, it is a social meeting point for people of influence, the crème de la crème (the best of the best) in our nation. It is history in the making for a no-go area to be raid by a team of Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) personnel, and makes arrest; it’s a clear indication of TOCU’s determination to effectively and efficiently execute their mandate without fear or favor, if the adequate funds, logistics and or equipments are provided. Accepting the fact that Sierra Leone like most West Africa Countries is facing many challenges to tackle hard drugs interning their territories because of the numerous porous borders, coupled with insufficient equipments to thoroughly monitor our waters to name but a few. Our country’s partnership with other international Bodies, UNODC, TOCU and others is considered by us the West Africa Drug Policy Network Sierra Leone chapter, as a laudable venture, in minimizing hard drugs been transit through and increase in it consumption in Sierra Leone.
Abundantly, clear that the hard drugs (cocaine and Brown-brown) have been removed from the cemeteries and distributed to retailers, WADPN-SL Chapter is calling on the Police to continue their vigilance and citizenry to help by giving vital information to Police on hard drug related issues in the various communities. It is also time for government to adhere to (PART IV–TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF OFFENDER) our national drug policy which talks of providing Treatment Centre for drug users/addicts/offenders. Because, drug abuse/addiction, must be considered a health issue and not a criminal Justice matter. Expect for the drug barons, who must face the full force of the law to get them out of the illegal drug business I also hope the Joseph Kargbo alleged cocaine matter currently in court, will not end like the drug seized from Ecuador hidden in nappies in 2011. Because, I am aware that there are some bad politicians who are seriously, involved in illegal drug trafficking, according to National Drug Law Enforce Agency survey report of 2013. Especially, now that we are in our electioneering period
Saa Matthias D BENDU: National Coordinator Development Initiative and Hope for the Vulnerable, and Director of Communication West Africa Drug Policy Network Sierra Leone Chapter