By: Mohamed Sahr mohamedsahrpro@gmail.com
Accused persons RSLAF 18171601 S Sergeant Alhaji Koroma 11BN, 18171922 Sergeant Ibrahim Bundu Kamara alias ‘’Amerikin’’ 5BN, 18172996 Sergeant Albert Bassie Conteh 15BN, 18174602 S/Sergeant Abu Dauda 15BN, 18728834 Captain Thalie Marah 11BN, 18177731 Captain Edward Koroma alais ‘’Smallie’’ FRU, 18169620 Sergeant Mohamed Kamara alais ‘’Ranger’’ attached at Cockerill Station, 18181624 L/Captain Eustace Neka FRU, 18168075 S/Sergeant Idrissa Kallon 15BN, 18177860 L/Captain John Turay alias ‘’Koko’’ 5BN, 18177201 Captain Gbenda Aiah attached at Cockerill Station, 18178659 Captain Alie Kamara alias ‘’Charma raw’’ JCU, 18179779 L/Captain Musa Makigie alias ‘’Jambo’’ 15BN, 18181346 PTE Abdul Razack Kamara ENGR, 18180507 Sergeant Kargbo Momoh FRU, 18178210 WO2 Philip Adikalie Turay alias ‘’Yamao-Kati’’ AFPC, SL 909 Lieutenant Colonel Charles James Mishek Yamba SBN, 18180173 L/ Captain Abu Bakarr Koroma alias ‘’Opandey’’ 4BN, 18167293 WO1 Sitta Dumbuya AFPC, 18179330 Sergeant Fofanah Kemoh AFPC, 18172098 S/Sergeant Ibrahim Thorlu Bangura alias ‘’Tiger’’ 4BDE, 18177865 WO2 Turay Alpha JLUSSS, 18181863 Captain Abu Bakarr Turay, FRU,18181615 Sergeant Rashid Koroma AFTC, 18179346 Sergeant Omar Fayiah Lebbie 2BDE, 18181739 L/Captain Hassan Sesay JLU and 18182409 L/Captain Abu Samuel Kamara alias ‘’Agba’’ FRU were arraigned before advocate Magistrate Mark Ngegba serving as a “Seating Advocate’’ on diverse count charges on Monday 8th January 2024 at the High Court of Sierra Leone in Freetown.
Eighty-eight (88) count charges were levied on the accused persons ranging from count one, committing a civil offence, contrary to Section 72 (1) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended to wit conspiracy to commit mutiny, contrary to law.
Count two stood at mutiny, contrary to Section 37(1)(a) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended. Count three, four, five, six, seven and eight remained the same as count two respectively. However, count nine and ten were described as failure to suppress mutiny, contrary to Section 38(b) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act ,1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961 as amended.
Also, count eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen and seventeen served as aiding the enemy, contrary to Section 30(1)(b) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended.
Count eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four and twenty-five among others provided for communicating with the enemy, contrary to Section 31(1) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961).
Notwithstanding, count forty-five stated provided for receiving public or service property, contrary to Section 49(b) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended. Whilst, count forty-six stood at retaining public or service property, contrary to Section 49(b) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended. Whereas, count forty-seven provided for wilful damage of public or service property, contrary to Section 49(c) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended.
Count forty-eight was stealing of public or service property, contrary to Section 49(a) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended. Also, count forty-nine served as fraudulent misapplication of public or service property, contrary to Section 49(a) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended. And count fifty provided for conduct to the prejudice of military discipline, contrary to Section 71 of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 35 of 1961) as amended.
Count fifty-one was committing a civil offence, contrary to Section 72(1) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended to wit conspiracy to commit murder, contrary to Section 4 of the offences against the person Act 1861. Whereas, count fifty-two provided for committing a civil offence, contrary to Section 72(1) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended to wit murder, contrary to Section 1 of the offences against the person Act, 1861 as repealed and replaced by Section 1(a) of the schedule to the abolition of the death penalty Act,2022, Act No. 6 of 2022.
Furthermore, count fifty-three was committing a civil offence, contrary to Section 72(1) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended to wit conspiracy to commit murder, contrary to Section 4 of the offences against the person Act 1861. And count fifty-four demonstrated as committing a civil offence, contrary to Section 72(1) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended to wit murder, contrary to Section 1 of the offences against the person Act, 1861 as repealed and replaced by Section 1(a) of the schedule to the abolition of the death penalty Act,2022, Act No. 6 of 2022.
Count fifty-five was committing a civil offence, contrary to Section 72(1) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended to wit conspiracy to commit murder, contrary to Section 4 of the offences against the person Act 1861. Count fifty-six provided committing a civil offence, contrary to Section 72(1) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended to wit murder, contrary to Section 1 of the offences against the person Act, 1861 as repealed and replaced by Section 1(a) of the schedule to the abolition of the death penalty Act,2022, Act No. 6 of 2022.
In addition, count fifty-seven to count eighty-eight revolved on committing a civil offence, contrary to Section 72(1) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended to wit conspiracy to commit murder, contrary to Section 4 of the offences against the person Act 1861. As well as committing a civil offence, contrary to Section 72(1) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act, 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended to wit murder, contrary to Section 1 of the offences against the person Act, 1861 as repealed and replaced by Section 1(a) of the schedule to the abolition of the death penalty Act,2022, Act No. 6 of 2022.
The accused persons were arraigned on the subject of military law under Section 192(1)(a) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone Act 1961 (Act No. 34 of 1961) as amended.
Senior Magistrate otherwise “Seating Advocate’’ adjourned the matter to Wednesday 10th January 2024.
