‘‘Our Passports Could Be in the Hands of Several Drug Lords” …Opposition Leader Tells Speaker of Parliament
By Kelvin Jay
Responding to remarks made by the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Segepoh Thomas—who recently cautioned Sierra Leoneans against tarnishing the image of the country—the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, stated that citizens have every reason to speak out because drug abuse has become increasingly prominent in Sierra Leone.
Hon. Kargbo argued that the country’s image continues to suffer internationally due to the growing drug menace. He referenced a case involving a diplomatic vehicle belonging to the former Ambassador to Guinea, which was reportedly intercepted with drugs. He lamented that, to date, there has been no official explanation or accountability regarding the individuals involved.
The Opposition Leader emphasized that diplomatic vehicles operate under strict protocols, including the issuance of a note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs detailing all passengers, the driver, and the vehicle’s contents when traveling between Sierra Leone and Guinea. “When that vehicle was caught with cocaine,” he said, “the people of Sierra Leone have still not been informed about the identities of those found in it. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot issue a note verbale with names they do not know. So I am calling on the Ministry to release those names.”
Hon. Kargbo further urged President Julius Maada Bio to take decisive action against those involved in the importation and distribution of drugs in the country.
Touching on the issue of diplomatic passports, he carefully outlined the process of issuance, explaining that “instructions come from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in consultation with the President, for the issuance of diplomatic passports to specific individuals. The Ministry then forwards the request to the Immigration Department.”
He expressed grave concern over reports that Sierra Leonean diplomatic passports have been found in the possession of two known drug lords. “If two have been discovered, it is possible that several more are in the wrong hands,” he warned.
Hon. Kargbo also condemned the hostility directed toward citizens who raise concerns about drug trafficking, noting that “when Sierra Leoneans talk about drugs, some people become agitated and even issue threats. This country does not belong to the SLPP Government; it belongs to the people of Sierra Leone.”
