The charge sheet states that accused Stanley Oluchi Ozoho was arrested at the Freetown International Lungi Airport, in the Kafu Bullom Chiefdom, Port Loko District in the northern part of Sierra Leone.
He is alleged to have conspired together with other persons unknown to import five kilograms of Heroin substance into Sierra Leone from the Republic of Mozambique between the dates of Friday 1st September 2017 and 29 June 2018.
In his testimony, the first prosecution witness, police detective Mohamed Malam Bangura attached to the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOKU) headquarters at Hastings, as Exhibit Clerk, recalled the incident of 30 June 2018.
He testified that on the said date, he was on duty at the Transnational Organized Crime Unit at Hastings, when detective Inspector Mansaray who is also attached to the Transnational Organized Crime Unit handed over certain exhibits to him for safe keeping.
Detective Mohamed Malam Bangura told the court that the said exhibits included five kilograms of Heroin substance, two Republic of Nigerian passports, bearing the name of the accused person, Stanley Oluchi Ozoho. The witness further said he received immigration and travelling details including one Kenya Airways ticket and one brown suitcase and other assorted items, which were produced and tendered in evidence.
The second prosecution witness, who is a forensic expert, Alestine Tucker told the court that she is a Superintendent of Police and staff of the Sierra Leone Police Analytical Laboratory Department at Connaught Hospital in Freetown.
She recalled the 30 June 2018, saying that the said five kilogram Heroin substance was handed over to her for forensic examination and findings.
At the conclusion of the examination, the witness went on; she found out that the five kilogram Heroin in question is Diacetylmorphine, meaning it has active ingredients found in Heroin substance.
According to Superintendent Alestine Taucker, she used the presumptive and confirmative test methods to reach at and deduce her findings into a report, which she later presented to officials at the Transnational Organized Crime Unit headquarters at Hastings in the outskirts of Freetown.
Lead Counsel for the accused Stanley Oluchi Ozoho, M. Jusu canvassed the presiding magistrate to put the accused person on bail. But the police prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police, (ASP) Ibrahim S. Mansaray vehemently opposed to bail, on the grounds that the accused person is a foreigner and the offence preferred against him is very serious.
After listening to the submissions of the prosecution and the defense, Magistrate Santigie Bangura ruled that due to the nature of the offence preferred against the accused person, he would not admit the accused, Stanley Oluchi Ozoho to bail.
He ordered that the accused person be remanded at the Male Correctional Centre in Freetown, and adjourned the matter to tomorrow Tuesday 14 August 2018.
