Justice Santigie Ibrahim Sorie Bangura of the High Court in Kono District on Wednesday, 4 March 2026, sentenced one Alusine Kemoh to 15 years imprisonment after he was found guilty of unlawful possession of drugs, locally known as Kush.
The accused was before the court on a one-count charge of unlawful possession of drugs contrary to Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act 2008.
According to the indictment, the accused, on 11 November 2025 at Kono Judicial District in the Eastern Province of the Republic of Sierra Leone, was found in possession of 47 wraps of Kush without lawful authority.
The matter commenced before the learned judge after the accused was committed to the High Court for further trial following the completion of preliminary investigations.
In delivering his ruling, Justice Bangura stated that the prosecution had discharged the burden of proving its case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt. The accused was therefore found guilty as charged.
State prosecutor Charles Foday Sesay, in his submission after the conviction, informed the court that the accused had no previous criminal conviction.
In his allocutus, the convict pleaded with the judge to show mercy.
Defence counsel Alpha Osman Kamara, in his plea in mitigation, told the court that the accused is a first-time offender and a young man with the character and opportunity for self-reform. He therefore pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy by considering the minimum sentence.
However, Justice Bangura stated that the conduct of the accused was despicable, adding that together with other offenders they have negatively impacted the lives of the youthful population of Sierra Leone. He noted that the court must take tough action against such offences.
“I therefore sentence him to fifteen (15) years imprisonment and order that the substance found in his possession be destroyed,” the judge ruled.
