SL PRESIDENT SAYS THIS IS RIGHT TIME TO NAB GK

C O N F I D E N T I A L FREETOWN 000065

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W (JHUNTER/ESPRUILL)
EMBASSY CONAKRY FOR FRONT OFFICE (KBROKENSHIRE)
EMBASSY BRUSSELS FOR DEA (TSCARANTINO)
CONSULATE LAGOS FOR DEA (SGAYE)
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR DEA/OS/OSE (MCMANAMON/LENARTOWICZ)
DOJ ALSO FOR DEA/SOD/NTG (LMILIONE/DMALTZ/JSOILES)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR KCRM SL
SUBJECT: SL PRESIDENT SAYS THIS IS RIGHT TIME TO NAB GK

Classified By: Ambassador June Carter Perry for reasons 1.4 (b/d)


1. (C) On February 27, Ambassador met with President Ernest
Bai Koroma to discuss pending bilateral issues and relay the
new administration's domestic and foreign policy priorities.
She was accompanied by DCM and Poloff, and Koroma by Foreign
Minister Zainab Bangura. Key bilateral and multilateral
issues were substantively covered in the meeting (septel).
One of the most interesting comments from the President
related to Sierra Leonean narcotics fugitive Gibrilla Kamara
(GK),who is reportedly hiding in a West African country.
Koroma stated that the recent developments in Guinea are very
promising, especially Ousmane Conte's recent arrest on
narcotics charges. Conte is a close associate and alleged
protector of GK, and the President believes that Conte's
arrest might provide an opportunity to arrest GK.


2. (C) The President's comments demonstrate his continued
interest in bringing GK to justice, which is likely related
to a desire to seize GK's many Sierra Leonean assets. Without
Conte's protection, GK is vulnerable to arrest. He stated
that GK will be "useful" to many countries, and invited the
U.S. to go after GK as quickly as possible. Koroma also
invited the U.S. to begin indicting Sierra Leoneans involved
in narcotrafficking beyond GK, such as Ahmed Sesay and others.


3. (C) Embassy will work with DEA towards an expeditious
indictment of GK and others, as appropriate.
PERRY