Community Headman Gets 20 Years Imprisonment for Drug Possession
The High Court of Sierra Leone has sentenced a Cline Town community headman, Ibrahim Lesford, to 20 years in prison after finding him guilty on two counts of unlawful possession of prohibited drugs.
The conviction follows his arrest on October 4, 2024, when police discovered 30.5 grams of kush and 25.5 grams of tramadol in his possession without legal authorization. Lesford had denied the charges at the start of the trial.
During the proceedings, the prosecution called three witnesses to support its case. Assistant Superintendent of Police Joseph Stevens, a forensic analyst, testified that laboratory tests confirmed the substances were synthetic cannabinoids and tramadol hydrochloride.
He added that further analysis detected traces of fentanyl, pethidine, and levorphanol.
Detective Police Constable Baindu Winifred Dassama told the court that officers recovered 320 wraps of kush and five cards of tramadol from the accused at the time of his arrest.
Detective Sergeant Buya Abu Koroma, who works at the police Exhibit Office, also confirmed that the drugs were properly documented and presented as evidence.
In his defense, Lesford claimed he was wrongly accused, alleging that an unidentified individual dropped a bag containing drugs in his home during a police operation.
He also accused officers of assaulting him and coercing him into signing a statement.
However, presiding judge Honourable Justice Mark Ngegba ruled that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt.
He noted that Lesford failed to prove he had lawful authority to possess the substances.
Justice Ngegba subsequently sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment.
The prosecution team was led by state counsels A. Jalloh and E. A. Deen, while C. Campbell represented the accused.
