By Mamajah Jalloh
Freetown, Sierra Leone – A Nigerian national, Edwin Uwa Ogbonna, appeared before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at Pademba Road Court No. 1 in Freetown on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. Ogbonna faces ten charges, including kidnapping, possession of prohibited drugs without lawful authority, dealing in prohibited drugs, and use of prohibited drugs.
According to the prosecution, on August 20, 2024, at Alusine Street, New Road, Juba Hill in the Western Area of Freetown, Ogbonna allegedly kidnapped Monsuru Abayomi Balogun. In addition to the kidnapping charge, Ogbonna is accused of multiple drug-related offenses.
The court heard that, on the same date and location, the accused was found in possession of a loose quantity of cocaine without lawful authority. Furthermore, Ogbonna was allegedly found with a sachet containing a loose quantity of “kush,” a form of synthetic cannabis, and another sachet of cannabis sativa. The charges also include dealing in these prohibited drugs—cocaine, kush, and cannabis sativa—without the necessary authorization.
Additionally, counts eight through ten accuse Ogbonna of using the prohibited drugs kush, cocaine, and cannabis sativa without lawful authority on the same day and location.
When the charges were read to Ogbonna, he did not enter a plea. His defense counsel, Zachariah Azibo Kanu, applied for bail, arguing that although Ogbonna is not a Sierra Leonean, he is a resident with a fixed address in the country. Kanu stated that Ogbonna has credible sureties who are willing to vouch for him and assured the court that Ogbonna would not interfere with prosecution witnesses if granted bail. He made the application pursuant to Section 79(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 32 of 1965.
Despite the bail application, Magistrate Kekura denied bail and ordered that Ogbonna be remanded at the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown. The case has been adjourned to September 19, 2024.
