By: Audrey Raymonda John
Four accused individuals Umar Baimba Kamara, Joseph Kabia (alias “Manager”), Alhaji Moseray Kabba, and Momoh Kamara made their second appearance before Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah at Pademba Road Court No.1 in Freetown, facing 17 charges, including conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to commit felony, possession of forged banknotes, counterfeiting of banknotes, forging of banknotes, and possession and custody of arms without a license.
According to the indictment, between July 15 and July 19, 2025, the first three defendants Umar Baimba Kamara, Joseph Kabia, and Momoh Kamara conspired to obtain goods by false pretenses. The indictment further claims that in October 2024, all four individuals conspired to forge Sierra Leonean banknotes.
The prosecution presented evidence showing that, on July 19, 2025, in Wellington, Freetown, Alhaji Moseray Kabba counterfeited 250 fake twenty-Leone notes purportedly printed by the Bank of Sierra Leone. Similarly, on July 21, 2025, Joseph Kabia was allegedly found in possession of the same counterfeit notes at Rokupa, Wellington.
The charges also state that Umar Baimba Kamara, on those dates at Red Pump, Tengebeh Town, was found in possession of a Glock 22 pistol, two magazines, and 44 live rounds without lawful authority. Kamara is also accused of printing the counterfeit notes.
Sergeant 9939 Mohamed Lahai, the prosecution’s third witness, provided testimony. He explained that on July 22, 2025, while on duty, he received a case file from the Kissy Police Division regarding an alleged counterfeit operation and related offenses. The case was assigned to him for further investigation. He reviewed the file, which included two endorsed search warrants and three statements from the first, third, and fourth defendants.
A request was made to the Bank of Sierra Leone to verify the authenticity of the counterfeit banknotes. The witness further explained that, along with D/DSP H.F. Bonda, he obtained additional cautionary statements from the first defendant in Krio, which were later recorded in English. The defendant signed and thumbprinted the statements, admitting them to be truthful. These statements were tendered in court as part of the official record.
On July 23, 2025, additional voluntary cautionary statements were taken from the second and third defendants, also in Krio and later transcribed into English. Each defendant signed their statement after it was read to them and acknowledged as true. These statements were also tendered in court.
The investigation file was subsequently sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office for legal advice, after which the file was returned, and the defendants were formally charged with the offenses they are now standing trial for.
The defendants were not legally represented during the proceedings.
Magistrate Jah, after reviewing the evidence presented by the prosecution, expressed satisfaction with the case against the defendants. He ruled to commit all four defendants to the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown, where they will remain pending further legal proceedings.