Freetown, Sierra Leone – On Monday, September 9, 2024, Samuel Marrah, Assistant to the CEO of Infinity Trading Company, testified in the ongoing trial against two Lebanese nationals and a Sierra Leonean accused of illegally importing bomb-making materials into Sierra Leone.
The accused—Hussein Antar, Jamal Antar, and Sulaiman Barrie—appeared before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at Pademba Road Court No. 2 to face multiple charges, including conspiracy, illegal transportation, and stockpiling of chemical weapons, and unlicensed importation of arms manufacturing materials.
Marrah, under oath, detailed his involvement, revealing that between October 1, 2023, and July 9, 2024, Hussein Antar approached him at their Wilkinson Road office seeking assistance with shipping containers.
Marrah testified that Hussein later requested his company to handle the shipment once the containers arrived at the Quay, referring him to colleague Ibrahim Bashirr Kamara for further assistance.
Marrah explained that Hussein sent him a bill of lading and an invoice, which he forwarded to Kamara, who then calculated the shipment cost at SLE 300,000.
Marrah stated that Hussein paid this amount in installments and instructed him to move the containers to 3 Mile, which was done accordingly.
After Marrah’s testimony, defense lawyer I. Kamara requested an adjournment for cross-examination. The accused were remanded in custody, and the case was adjourned to Wednesday, September 11, 2024.
The three defendants—Hussein Antar, 65; Jamal Antar, 65; and Sulaiman Barrie, 25—face serious charges, including illegal possession of arms manufacturing materials, aiding and abetting, unauthorized importation and transportation of prohibited drugs, and perverting the course of justice.
Police allege that Hussein Antar financed Marrah for the illegal movement of chemical weapons from Queen Elizabeth II Quay to a residence in Waterloo between November 11, 2023, and July 9, 2024.
The defendants are also accused of conspiring to import these materials without proper licensing and unlawfully possessing them within Sierra Leone.
Further allegations include that Jamal Antar and Sulaiman Barrie assisted in importing and stockpiling bomb-making materials and prohibited drugs during the period in question. The charge sheet also accuses the defendants of transporting prohibited drugs without legal authorization and fabricating evidence to obstruct justice.
