By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown – Fifty-five-year-old businessman Mohamed Ansumana Dabeneh has been remanded at the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown after facing five counts relating to the alleged possession, custody, and control of arms and ammunition without a licence.
Dabeneh appeared before Magistrate Mustapha Brima Jah at Pademba Road Court No. 1 on charges brought under Section 22(1) of the Sierra Leone Commission on Arms and Ammunition Act 2023 (Act No. 24 of 2023). He faces two counts of possession of arms without a licence, two counts of custody of arms without a licence, and one count of control of ammunition without a licence.
According to police, the accused was found on August 14, 2026, at No. 1 Kaikai Drive, Jui, Western Area, in possession of arms and ammunition without lawful authority.
Prosecutor Inspector Kadie M. Taylor informed the court that defence counsel had been served with case and inquiry files. Defence lawyer I. Fofanah, Esq., confirmed receipt and applied for bail, arguing that Dabeneh was not a flight risk and had reliable sureties.
Magistrate Jah, however, refused the bail application, citing the seriousness of the offences. The matter was adjourned to September 9, 2026, while Dabeneh remains in remand at the Male Correctional Facility.