BO, Southern Province – Sierra Leone Police (SLP) officers on Saturday, 10 October 2026, arrested a resident of Hill Station in Bo City after discovering 50 shotgun cartridges concealed in his bag during a routine stop at the Ngelehun Checkpoint.
Emmanuel Saffa was travelling in a commercial vehicle from Bo to Koribondo Town in Bo District when officers intercepted the vehicle. A search of his bag revealed two packets containing a total of 50 shotgun cartridges. Police immediately took him into custody.
The Ngelehun Checkpoint, located in the Bo East Division along the Bo–Koribondo–Pujehun route, is a key security point frequently used by the SLP to intercept illegal weapons, ammunition, and other contraband. Similar operations at the same checkpoint earlier in 2026 have led to arrests involving locally made firearms and illicit drugs.
Under Sierra Leone’s Arms and Ammunition laws, including the Sierra Leone Commission on Arms and Ammunitions Act of 2023, unauthorised possession of arms or ammunition is a serious offence. Offenders face a fine of not less than 10,000 new Leones, imprisonment for a term of not less than five years, or both.
Police say investigations into the source of the cartridges, the intended destination, and any possible links to illegal arms networks are ongoing. The recovered ammunition has been retained as evidence.
The Sierra Leone Police continues to urge members of the public to report any information related to the illegal possession or trafficking of firearms and ammunition. Citizens can contact their nearest police station or the SLP Media Team for further assistance.
Source: SLP Media Team
