By Emma Black

High Court Holden, Port Loko District, 23 January 2026 — The High Court of Sierra Leone sitting in Port Loko, presided over by Honourable Justice Sahr Elogima Kekura, has imposed severe custodial sentences in two separate criminal matters involving sexual offences against a minor and drug trafficking.

In the first case, Abdul Kamara was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual offences against a minor. The charges included sexual penetration of a child contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2012, as amended by Section 4(iii) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2019; sexual touching of a child contrary to Section 20(1)(a) of the Act; and meeting a child for sexual purposes contrary to Section 23(1)(c) of the Sexual Offences Act 2012.

According to the prosecution, between 16 and 23 October 2025, at Rotifunk, Lungi in the Port Loko District, North-West Region, Kamara committed acts of sexual penetration, sexual touching, and deliberately met a child for sexual purposes.

Kamara pleaded guilty to all charges. In his plea in mitigation, he told the court that he had learned his lesson while in custody and pledged never to repeat such conduct or engage in any criminal activity again. He appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy.

Delivering sentence, Justice Kekura noted that the accused did not waste the court’s time by pleading guilty. However, he stressed that offences involving sexual abuse of children are grave and demand strong punishment to serve as a deterrent.

“Taking into consideration your plea in mitigation and the nature of the offences, I hereby sentence you on count one, sexual penetration of a child, to 20 years’ imprisonment; on count two, sexual touching of a child, to five years; and on count three, meeting a child for sexual purposes, to five years,” the judge ruled.

The sentences are to run concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. In a separate matter, the court sentenced Sama Koroma to 40 years’ imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to multiple drug-related offences.

Koroma was charged on two counts: unlawful possession of drugs contrary to Section 8(c) of the National Drugs Control Act 2008, and selling prohibited drugs contrary to Section 7(e) of the same Act.

The prosecution told the court that on 7 November 2025, at Door Area, Marampa Chiefdom, North-West Region, Koroma was found in possession of dried leaves believed to be cannabis sativa without lawful authority. She was also accused of unlawfully selling 123.4 grams of cannabis sativa. She pleaded guilty to both charges.

Defence counsel M. Korie Esq. and T.P.M. Sowa Esq. appealed for leniency, noting that their client pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and did not waste the court’s time. They urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

In his sentencing remarks, Justice Kekura described the sale of dangerous drugs as one of the most serious threats facing the nation, noting that it destroys lives, destabilises communities, and ultimately ruins the future of those involved in the trade. While acknowledging the guilty plea, the judge held that the seriousness of the offences warranted a lengthy custodial sentence.

Accordingly, Sama Koroma was sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment, underscoring the court’s firm stance against drug trafficking and related crimes.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 26th January 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)