By Janet A. Sesay
Abraham Lesford, a Headman residing in the Cline Town community has on Wednesday, 23rd July, 2025 sent to the High Court for further trial for being found in possession of a prohibited drug without lawful authority.
His matter was committed to the High Court by the Principal Magistrate of the Freetown Magistrate Court No. 1, Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah.
In his background to the matter prior to his committal, Magistrate Jah explained that the accused, Abraham Lesford was arraigned before the Court on a count charge of possession of a prohibited drug without lawful authority contrary to Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act of 2008.
Highlighting the indictment, Magistrate Jah noted that Abraham Lesford on Friday, 4th October, 2024 at Cline Town in Freetown, was found in possession of loose quantity of Kush without lawful authority.
He maintained that during the course of the preliminary investigation which he presided over, the State Prosecutor, Abubakarr Nat Taylor Kamara called in four witnesses to testify and prove the prosecution’s case, noting that the testimonies of the witnesses corroborated the allegation and that the accused was given the opportunity to cross- examine the witnesses.
Magistrate Jah went on that having looked at the evidence, he feels satisfied that the Prosecution was able to lead sufficient evidence against the accused person.
He therefore asked the accused person if he wants to testify at the High Court, he responded in the affirmative.
According to the accused he would like to change his statements he earlier made to the police pointing out that he was under serious pains and not feeling well at the time he was making the statements due to the torture and other forms of inhuman treatment meted on him by the police while he was in their custody. He also confirmed that he would like to testify in the High Court and wishes to call in witnesses.
Magistrate Mustapha Briama Jah therefore committed the matter to the High Court for further trial.