A Guinean court has sentenced a former driver attached to the Sierra Leone Embassy in Conakry to five years’ imprisonment after finding him guilty of international cocaine trafficking in a case that has drawn widespread attention across the sub-region.
Mohamed Kamara was convicted by the Kaloum High Court in Conakry in February 2026 on multiple drug trafficking charges. In addition to the custodial sentence, the court imposed a 10-year prohibition on his re-entry into Guinea, to commence after he completes his prison term.
The conviction follows his arrest on the night of December 31, 2024, when Guinean security operatives intercepted a Sierra Leonean diplomatic vehicle as it crossed back into Guinea from Kambia District. Acting on what authorities described as credible intelligence, officers stopped and searched the vehicle despite it bearing official “CD” (Corps Diplomatique) registration plates.
Kamara, who was driving at the time, reportedly presented an official diplomatic identity card and a stamped Laissez-Passé travel document. However, a subsequent search uncovered seven suitcases containing cocaine, along with approximately 2,000 US dollars in cash.
The then Sierra Leonean Ambassador to Guinea, Alimamy Bangura, was not in the vehicle during the incident. Guinean authorities have since stated that investigations found no evidence linking him to the trafficking operation.
Two other suspects, identified as Alpha Bah and Kamara Kamara, reportedly escaped from custody before the conclusion of the trial. Both were tried and convicted in absentia in accordance with Guinean drug enforcement laws.
Officials have clarified that Alpha Bah has no known connection to Sierra Leone’s Vice President, despite speculation circulating in some quarters.
During the proceedings, prosecutors argued that Kamara abused his official position and attempted to rely on diplomatic protections under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to facilitate the movement of narcotics across borders.
The presence of authenticated embassy travel documents at the time of his arrest raised concerns about vulnerabilities within diplomatic channels and the potential exploitation of such privileges by transnational criminal networks.
The diplomatic vehicle seized during the operation was returned to the Government of Sierra Leone on February 27, 2026. However, the case continues to fuel debate over regional security cooperation and safeguards surrounding diplomatic immunity within West Africa.
