By Aminata Phidelia Allie
A Guinean national, who was allegedly caught with 36kg of cannabis sativa in Sumbuya village in the border town of Kambia, between Sierra Leone and Guinea, has been committed to High Court in Freetown.
The accused, AlkalyTraoure, who only spoke Susu before Magistrate Komba Kamanda of Court No. 2,was under preliminary investigations on two countcharge of unlawful possession and transportation of cannabis sativa, all contrary to law.
Through an interpreter he pleaded guilty to the charges.
The 41-year-old introduced himself as a self-employed businessman dealing in coffee, ‘ataya’ and bread in Farrmoriah, Guinea. He was also commercial bike rider.
He explained that whilst returning from a delivery in Madina, Tonko Limba chiefdom, he met three men who hired him to take two bags to the Kolenten Wharf for them. “I didn’t know the content of the bags but I was being paid a good sum”, he had told the police.
He furthered that some policemen stopped him on the way, searched the bags and then told him what he had been carrying.
“I tried to run into the bush but they caught me and brought me to a police station,” he narrated.
In his ruling, through an interpreter, Magistrate Kamanda said he was satisfied with the evidence led by the prosecution. They were “sufficient against the accused”. He said the possession and transportation of the substance was a “grave offence”, adding, “you are hereby committed to the High Court for trial”.
