By Alieu Amara Suwu
Edwin Uwa Ogbonna, a Nigerian national, on Thursday, 9th January, 2025, made another appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No. 1 over an alleged kidnapping and possession of cocaine and Kush at his Juba residence.
The accused was arraigned before the court on ten counts of charges, ranging from kidnapping, possession of prohibited drugs, dealing in prohibited drugs, and using prohibited drugs, all contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
The indictment states that the accused on Tuesday, 20th August 2024, at Juba Hill in Freetown, allegedly kidnapped Monsuru Abayomi Balogun. Additionally, he is accused of possessing various prohibited drugs, including loose cocaine, one sachet of Kush, and one sachet of cannabis sativa, all without lawful authority.
He is also charged with dealing in Kush, cannabis sativa, and cocaine on the same date and location and using these prohibited drugs without lawful authority.
Led in evidence by state prosecutor I. A. Kamara, the witness Ibrahim Dumbuya recognized the accused in the dock and also recalled on the said date.
The witness further stated that he is an investigator attached to the Lumley police station, adding that on the said date he was on duty when a kidnapping case was reported at the station, which address was given.
He said, based upon that information, he and other police officers visited the crime scene at Juba.
He said upon arrival at the premises of the accused, they discovered seven Sierra Leonean passports, one Liberian passport, and two ECOWAS passports, all named Edwin Uwa Ogbonna. And they discovered quantities of hand gloves and face masks, one scaling machine, one old damaged phone, $300, and 1,500 naira notes.
The police witness further testified that, after checking the house of the accused, they came outside the compound and saw a black jeep with registration number LMK 002, where the accused admitted that the vehicle belonged to him.
He said they opened the vehicle and searched it, and under the driver’s seat they found transparent plastic containing a white substance suspected to be cocaine.
He said they also discovered one iPhone 6 with one medicine sachet containing a quantity of brown substance suspected to be kush.
The witness further stated that after the search, the complainant said the iPhone 6 belonged to him, adding that the phone was seized by the accused when he was kidnapped.
Witness Ibrahim Dumbuya continued that he and Inspector Mansaray, with others, certified the search warrant.
He added that the search warrant was read and explained to the accused, which he admitted to be true and correct by signing his signature.
He said the accused was arrested and taken to the Lumley police station together with the exhibits and the vehicle.
He said at the station the exhibit was handed over to the exhibit clerk for safekeeping.
The witness was cross-examined by defense counsel Charlie Israel Williams, who also renewed his bail application on behalf of the accused.
He was, however, denied bail by the magistrate, and the matter was adjourned to the 14th of January, 2025.
