By Lawrence Williams
President Julius Maada Bio has announced sweeping new measures to confront Sierra Leone’s escalating Kush crisis, including the establishment of a special court dedicated to trying drug-related cases.
The president also instructed the chief justice to develop a new sentencing practice direction for offenders for the court, and directed the Attorney General’s office to conduct a “comprehensive review” of all existing legislations on drug and substance abuse.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholder meeting at State House, President Bio described the situation as a matter of “profound urgency,” noting that the scale of the crisis requires Sierra Leone to “deepen our resolve against the scourge of Kush.”
As part of the new strategy, government will also establish a special security unit, comprising police and military personnel, to intensify nationwide enforcement efforts, alongside creating a special fund to support interventions targeting prevention, community engagement, and other measures.
Earlier on Wednesday, President Bio visited a rehabilitation centre for Kush victims, where he held discussions with parents and interacted with some of the 100 patients currently receiving treatment there.
The president’s actions come amid sustained media reporting and mounting public pressure, following alarming disclosures by Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr that her council has collected more than 200 bodies in the streets of people who died from drug-related causes between January and October.
