By Fatima Kpaka
On Monday, March 3, 2025, Police Inspector Abubakarr Kargbo presented the voluntary caution statements of the first accused, Alie Badara Kanu, before Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens. Kanu, along with the second accused, Thaimu Bangura, is alleged to have conspired with others to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone.
State counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay led the witness, Detective Inspector Abubakarr Kargbo, who is attached to the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters as an investigator. Kargbo recognized both accused persons in the dock and recalled the events of April 21, 2024, when he received a report of treason and was assigned to investigate the matter.
Kargbo testified that he collected the mobile phones of the first accused, Badara, and handed them over to the cyber unit for forensic examination and analysis. On the same day, Kargbo and Inspector Hassan Dumbuya interviewed Badara, but the interview was terminated due to ongoing inquiries by the investigating team. The interview resumed on April 25, 2024, when Badara expressed a desire to make a revelation. Badara was cautioned and questioned again, and his voluntary caution statements were taken while observing the judges’ rules. They awaited the cyber unit’s reply.
On June 27, 2024, Kargbo and Dumbuya resumed the interview based on information received from the cyber unit. The caution statement of the first accused, Alie Badara Kanu, was tendered before the court as exhibit B1-33 to form part of the prosecution case. In his statement, Badara denied the allegations, stating that he was a former Military Officer with the rank of captain and had served for thirty-three years in the military as a quartermaster. He was deployed at the 4th battalion in Makeni and, after retirement, was engaged in construction work in Makeni before visiting his family in Waterloo, where he met his junior worker, Ceaser.
Badara’s statement further revealed that during a visit to Ceaser’s house, he met Captain John and Senessie, who discussed recruiting men to remove both the APC and SLPP parties from power. Badara expressed skepticism about the plan’s feasibility, given the high esteem of individuals in both parties. Ceaser informed him that the plan to overthrow the government was set for June 19, 2024, coinciding with the expiration date of the tripartite committee. Badara was later arrested based on these allegations.
After reading Badara’s statements, Kargbo charged him with treason and misprision of treason on July 29, 2024, while observing the judges’ rules. The charge statements were tendered before the court as exhibit C1-2. Defense counsel S. Turay cross-examined Kargbo on behalf of Badara.
The accused were arraigned on two counts of treason, contrary to section 3 (1) (a) of the Treason and State Offences Act 1963, as repealed and replaced by the Treason and State Offences Amendment Act 1963, and misprision of treason. The indictment states that the accused, between June 24, 2023, and June 29, 2024, in Freetown, prepared to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone by unlawful means. Additionally, between January 1 and April 16, 2024, in Freetown, the accused unlawfully concealed information about the plan to overthrow the government.
Both accused remain in custody as the trial continues.