A Freetown High Court judge has sentenced Zainab Bintu Samura to 45 years in prison for attempting to smuggle drugs to her husband inside Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 1 during his criminal trial.
Justice Mark Ngegba delivered the judgment on Monday, May 25, 2026, after convicting Samura on six counts of unlawful possession and dealing in prohibited substances under the 2008 National Drugs Control Act. The case traced back to November 6, 2025, when Samura entered the courtroom while her husband, Joseph Kabia alias “Manager”, was facing 17 charges including forgery and illegal possession of arms.
According to court testimony, Samura arrived with a black handbag and sat beside Kabia. Prison officers Madina Sesay and Isha Bundu noticed her trying to slide a white plastic bag under his seat. They intervened and recovered the bag, which forensic analysis later confirmed contained 100.4 grams of tramadol in 210 pink tablets, 60 grams of kush, and 40 grams of loose cannabis sativa.
The seizure sparked a brief scuffle as Kabia attempted to grab the contraband before security officers restrained him. Officers from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit, TOCU, arrested Samura immediately. Detective Police Constable Abdul Koroma testified for the prosecution, along with two other witnesses. Samura pleaded not guilty when arraigned in February 2026 and was represented by defense lawyer M.Y. Conteh.
Prosecutors A. Jalloh and E.A. Deen argued that Samura had no legal authority to possess the drugs, as required under Section 17 of the Act. Justice Ngegba agreed, ruling that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. “The defendant was found in possession of and dealing with tramadol, cannabis sativa and kush,” he stated.
The judge sentenced her to 15 years for each of the first four counts and 45 years for counts five and six, to run concurrently. She will therefore serve a maximum of 45 years behind bars.
Following the incident, court authorities said security checks at judicial facilities would be tightened to prevent contraband from entering courtrooms. Kabia remains in remand custody pending the outcome of his own trial.
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