By Hassanatu I. Conteh
Martin Sellu, Gbassay Swarray, Foday Sallu, John Bangalie alias Boika, Joseph Gilamaja Kamara alias Shine, and Foday Alhassan Sesay made another appearance before Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah of Pademba Road Court No.1 in Freetown on five count charges to wit: conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravation, conspiracy to murder, robbery with aggravation, murder, and receiving stolen goods contrary to Section 33 (1) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of offence, between the 1st and 29th of August 2025 in Bo City, Southern Province, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th defendants conspired together with other persons unknown to commit robbery with aggravation.
Count two stated that on the same date and place, the said defendants conspired together with others unknown to commit murder.
Count three furthered that on the 30th of August 2025 at Buma III Section, Kenema City in the Eastern Province, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th defendants, being armed with a locally made single-barrel gun, robbed Reverend Father Augustine Dauda Amadu of one grey Lenovo laptop computer valued at three hundred and fifty United States dollars and physical cash of five thousand Leones. At the time, or immediately before or after the said robbery, they used personal violence against Reverend Father Augustine Dauda Amadu.
Count four alleged that on the 30th of August 2025, at Buma III Section, in Kenema City, the said defendants murdered Reverend Father Augustine Dauda Amadu.
Count five stated that on the 29th of August 2025, at Waterloo in the Western Area, the 6th defendant received one grey Lenovo laptop computer valued at three hundred and fifty United States dollars, property of Paul Allan Mose Jones, knowing same to have been stolen.
After the charges were read and explained, no plea was taken. The 6th defendant pleaded not guilty.
Inspector M. Tarawally led in evidence PW2, Reverend Father Michael Thomas Lamboi, who testified that he knew both the deceased and the defendants in the dock. He recalled that on the 30th of August 2025, after morning prayers at his church, he discovered several missed calls on his phone. Upon returning one of the calls, he was informed of the death of the deceased. Acting on this information, he immediately went to Kenema. On his way, he met an ambulance and some people heading to the mortuary. He proceeded to the deceased’s residence but found it closed, after which he went to the Kenema Police Station and made a statement. He added that the police informed him the deceased would be taken to Freetown for a post-mortem examination. He accompanied the police and the deceased to the 34 Military Hospitals, where the body was placed in the morgue. On the 18th of September, the body was handed over to him for burial.
PW3, Detective Police Officer Issa Kamara (8576 Kamara I), attached at the CID Headquarters, testified that on the 15th of September 2025, while on duty, Inspector Borbor Foday handed over to him one old Dell laptop computer, which he registered with serial number 115/2025. He confirmed that the laptop had been in police custody and further produced and tendered it in court, where it was marked as Exhibit Q.
Defense counsel applied for bail on behalf of the six accused persons. However, Magistrate Jah, considering the gravity of the offences, remanded all six defendants at the Male Correctional Center and adjourned the matter to the 6th of October 2025.