By: Audrey Raymonda John
The treason trial of Alie Badara Kanu and Thaimu Bangura took a significant turn on Monday, March 3, 2025, as the High Court admitted the voluntary caution statement of the first accused, Alie Badara Kanu.
The statement, detailing his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone, was tendered as evidence before Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens. Detective Inspector Abubakarr Kargbo, an investigator attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, testified as the prosecution’s witness.
Led in evidence by State Counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay Esq, Inspector Kargbo confirmed that he had obtained and tendered the statement of the first accused. According to Inspector Kargbo, the case was assigned to him for investigation following a report on April 21, 2024. During the course of the inquiry, he collected the mobile phone of Alie Badara Kanu and handed it over to the Cyber Unit for forensic examination and analysis.
He further stated that he, along with Inspector Hassan Dumbuya, conducted an initial interview with the accused in accordance with the Judges’ Rules. However, the interview was temporarily halted to allow for further inquiries by the investigating team. On April 25, 2024, the interview was resumed after the accused expressed willingness to make a statement.
Inspector Kargbo stated that Alie Badara Kanu was duly cautioned and questioned, with his responses recorded in a voluntary caution statement. The investigation continued as they awaited findings from the Cyber Unit. On June 27, 2024, the interview was resumed based on new information obtained from the forensic analysis of the accused’s phone.
The court admitted and marked the caution statement as Exhibit B1-33. When read in court, the statement revealed that Alie Badara Kanu denied the allegations against him. He stated that he was a former military officer with the rank of captain and had served in the army for thirty-three years as a quartermaster.
In his statement, Kanu said he was deployed at the 4th Battalion in Makeni before retiring and taking up construction work. He recounted that during a visit to his family in Waterloo, he met with a junior colleague named Caesar, who later introduced him to two individuals identified as Captain John and Senessie.
According to Kanu’s statement, these individuals informed him of their plan to recruit men to remove both the All People’s Congress (APC) and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) from power. Kanu stated that he told them such a plan would be difficult to accomplish, given the influence and high-ranking members within both political parties.
He further claimed that Caesar disclosed that the planned coup was set for June 19, 2024, coinciding with the expiration of the Tripartite Committee’s mandate. Kanu stated that he was later arrested based on the allegations against him. Inspector Kargbo further testified that on July 29, 2024, he formally charged the accused with treason and misprision of treason, in compliance with the Judges’ Rules. The charge statement was tendered and marked as Exhibit C1-2.
During cross-examination by defense counsel S. Turay, representing Alie Badara Kanu, the witness maintained that all procedures were followed in obtaining the statements and evidence. The accused are facing two charges—treason, contrary to Section 3(1)(a) of the Treason and State Offences Act 1963, as amended, and misprision of treason.
The prosecution alleges that between June 24, 2023, and June 29, 2024, in Freetown, the accused prepared to overthrow the government by unlawful means. It is further alleged that between January 1 and April 16, 2024, they had knowledge that Captain Senesie, Captain John Conteh, Caesar, and other unidentified individuals were planning to overthrow the government but failed to report the information to the authorities.
Both accused remain in custody as the trial continues. The matter was adjourned to March 4, 2025.
