Police alleged that the four Ivoirians conspired with unknown individuals to facilitate the illegal immigration of people to Paris, France from the Republic of Sierra Leone.

The charge sheet indicated that the four accused persons committed the said offences on Tuesday 2^nd April 2019 at the Freetown International Airport, in the Port Loko District of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Police further alleged that the four Ivoirians on Friday 1^st February 2019 and Thursday 28^th February 2019 at the Freetown International Airport in the Port Loko District of the Republic of Sierra Leone facilitated the illegal immigration of people to Brussels, Belgium from Sierra Leone.

The four accused persons were arrested by woman police Sergeant Sofiana I.R. and Detective Police Constable 13905 Jalloh M.Y. at the Freetown International Airport in the Port Loko District of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Testifying in court, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Patrick Alusine Sesay said he is attached to the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) headquarter at Hastings and recognized all accused persons in the dock.

He recalled the incident of 3^rd April this year, saying he was on duty at the Transnational Organized Crime Unit when a case and enquiry file including exhibits from officials at TOCU branch at the Freetown International Airport pertaining the ordering and issuance of certain documents relating to facilitating the illegal immigration of Sri Lakans and other related offences was handed to him.

According to ASP Patrick Sesay upon receipt of the intelligence, he and Woman Sergeant Sofiana I.R. conducted a search of the bags of the first, second and third accused persons and three boarding passes were discovered therein.

He went on to say that the said boarding passes were later handed over to the Exhibits Clerk , adding that  based upon additional intelligence , they conducted a search in the room of the first accused person, Serge-Pacome Bley at Hotel 5-10, but nothing of police interest was found.

The witness continued to say that they later obtained voluntary caution statements from all accused persons separately by observing the Judges’ Rule.

The four alleged human smugglers have already been put on bail in the sum of fifty million Leones each, including one surety in like sum and bail was approved by the Master and Registrar. The matter was adjourned to Friday 17^th May 2019.