The Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, has formally responded to a query from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs regarding her earlier statement that 220 bodies linked to kush-related deaths were collected across the capital this year.
In a letter dated 20 October 2025 and addressed to the Ministryโs Permanent Secretary, the Mayor confirmed that between 7 January and 8 October 2025, the Freetown City Council (FCC) retrieved 220 bodies from various parts of the city. She stated that all cases were properly documented, complete with photographsโthough images of individuals claimed by relatives were withheld for privacy reasons.
The letter was accompanied by a detailed spreadsheet outlining each case, including the date and location of collection, gender, and burial status.
According to the data, 50 bodies were claimed by relatives, while the remaining 170 were buried by the FCC.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr explained that although the council has no legal mandate under the Local Government Act 2022 to handle corpse collection, it has assumed the responsibility of burying destitute individuals who die on the streets. What was once an occasional civic duty, she said, has now become a frequent and alarming occurrence.
Statistics from the council show a sharp increase in street deaths in recent years. From 2020 to 2023, fewer than 50 bodies were collected annually, but in 2025 alone, that figure has soared to 220. As of mid-August, FCC had already handled 142 cases, with 32 more bodies collected between August and September. The majority of the deceased, according to the council, were young men.
The Mayor first raised the alarm in a 17 September 2025 letter to the Minister of Internal Affairs, copied to the Ministry of Local Government, warning that the rising number of street deaths, many suspected to be linked to kush use, was fast becoming a public health and safety crisis.
In her latest response, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr said the council is ready to assist the Ministry in locating the graves of the 170 unclaimed bodies should the government decide to conduct post-mortem investigations. However, she emphasized that the FCC will no longer continue collecting corpses unless the government clearly identifies which agency holds that responsibility.
She further requested that the Ministry provide contact information for the relevant authorities to whom such cases should be reported in the future.
The Ministryโs initial inquiry, dated 9 October 2025, followed the Mayorโs televised appearance on AYV TV, where she mentioned the 220 kush-related deaths.
The Ministry described her statement as โpotentially alarmingโ and demanded supporting documentation, including medical or post-mortem evidence, within five working days.
As the correspondence continues, the Mayorโs office has expressed willingness to hold further engagements and briefing sessions to discuss the submitted data. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr reaffirmed the councilโs commitment to protecting public welfare but maintained that FCC cannot sustain corpse collection and burials without official direction from the central government.
