Freetown, Sierra Leone – A local headman from Cline Town, Abraham Lesford, has been committed to the High Court for trial after being accused of unlawful possession of the illegal substance known as kush.
Magistrate Mustapha Briama Jah of Pademba Road Court No. 1 on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, ordered the committal following a preliminary investigation into the case.
Lesford is charged with one count of Possession of Prohibited Drugs Without Lawful Authority, contrary to Section 8(a) of the National Drugs Control Act of 2008. According to the indictment, the accused was found with a loose quantity of kush on October 4, 2024, in the Cline Town area of Freetown.
During the preliminary hearings, State Prosecutor Abubakarr Nat Taylor Kamara called four witnesses to testify against the accused. Magistrate Jah noted that the prosecution’s witnesses gave consistent accounts, and the accused was given the opportunity to cross-examine each of them.
Having reviewed the evidence, Magistrate Jah said he was satisfied that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against Lesford, justifying the need for a full trial in the High Court.
Before the committal, Lesford informed the court that he intended to testify during the High Court proceedings and wished to call witnesses in his defense. He also claimed that his initial statements to the police were made under duress and while he was unwell, indicating that he planned to retract and amend those statements.
The case has now been transferred to the High Court, where Lesford will face trial on the drug-related charge. A trial date is yet to be announced.
By Feima Sesay
