By: Audrey Raymonda John
The High Court of Sierra Leone, presided over by Justice Momoh Jah Stevens, has denied bail to two men, Alie Badara Kanu, alias Captain Makeni, and Thaimu Bangura, who are facing charges of treason and misprision of treason.
Kanu and Bangura, who are standing trial on two counts, are accused of preparing to overthrow the government unlawfully between June 24, 2023, and June 29, 2024, in Freetown. The second charge accuses the pair of concealing information about an alleged conspiracy to overthrow the government, knowing that individuals including Captain Senesie, Captain John Conteh, alias Caesar, and others were preparing for unlawful action between January 1 and April 16, 2024.
The charges were read and explained to the accused, but no pleas were taken. The prosecution, led by State Prosecutor Yusif Isaac Sesay Esq., tendered a consent for the prosecution of the accused, as required by the Treason and State Offences Act of 1963. The consent, which was issued before the criminal investigation consent dated August 9, 2024, was marked as Exhibit A.
In response to the tendering of the consent, Justice Stevens noted that the trial would have been invalid without it. Following the submission, twelve jurors were sworn in after the accused had no objections to their participation in the trial.
The defense, represented by I. Bangura and E. Sundars Esq. from the Legal Aid Board, applied for bail, stating that the accused persons would not interfere with witnesses or abscond. The defense highlighted that the men were innocent until proven guilty and would benefit from proper consultation if granted bail.
However, the prosecution opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the charges. Justice Stevens, after considering both arguments, denied bail, emphasising the gravity of the charges. He assured the accused of their fundamental human rights and reiterated that the matter would be handled impartially.
The trial has been adjourned to March 3, 2025, for further proceedings.
