By Janet A. Sesay
Abdul Kanu and Mohammed Abu Turay, who have identified themselves as business people, on Friday, 25th October, 2025 made their second appearance before Magistrate Mustapha Briama Jah of the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.1, for allegedly exposing the travelling manifest of President Bio and his entourage to the United Kingdom.
Both defendants were arraigned before the court on two count charges of wrongful communication of document contrary to Section 7(I)(a) of the Treason and State Act of 1963 as amended.
The indictment states that Abdul Kanu on a date unknown between 20th and 30th of August 2025 in Freetown, being in possession of the traveling manifest of President Julius Maada Bio and his entourage to the United Kingdom, did wrongfully communicate the said manifest with Mohammed Abu Turay.
The indictment further states that Mohammed Abu Turay, on the same date, also being in possession of the traveling manifest of President Julius Maada Bio and his entourage to the United Kingdom, did wrongfully communicate the said manifest for cash in Dubai.
In his testimony, a Prosecution Witness, Detective Police Sergeant 17754 Abass Koroma, attached to the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Freetown, recognized both defendants in the dock and recalled Friday, 29th August 2025.
Sergeant Koroma testified that on the said day, he was on duty when an alleged case of subversion was reported and the matter was allocated to him for investigation.
He explained that in the meantime, the second defendant, Mohamed Abu Turay was arrested and brought to the station on the same day by Inspector F.J. Moza.
The witness furthered that himself, Inspector F.J. Moza and Corporal 12038 Musa Samuel Sesay, on the same day, interrogated the second defendant Turay, on the travel manifest of President Julius Maada Bio and his entourage traveling to the United Kingdom.
He maintained that during the interrogation, the second defendant Turay, admitted to have received the travel manifest via WhatsApp communication from his friend who happens to be the first defendant, Abdul Kanu.
Witness Koroma went on that based on that information, the first defendant, Abdul Kanu was arrested and taken to the CID Headquarters for investigation.
The Witness further stated that on 1st September, 2025, himself, Inspection F.J. Moza and Corporal 12038 Musa Samuel Sesay, cautioned and questioned second defendant Abu Turay on the said allegation by observing the Judge’s Rules but that the interview was suspended when the defendant requested that he needs rest.
The Police Witness went on that on 7th September, 2025, when the interview recommenced, the defendant was again cautioned and questioned by observing the Judge’s Rules following which he affixed his right hand thumb print indicating the statement to be true and correct.
The statement of the second defendant Mohamed Abu Turay, was tendered before the court and marked as Exhibit A1-10.
The Police Witness Koroma furthered in his testimony that on 1st September, 2025, himself and the earlier named police officers also cautioned and questioned the first defendant, Abdul Kanu by observing the Judge’s Rules and that he too subsequently affixed his right hand thumb print indicating the statement to be true and correct.
The statement of the first defendant Abdul Kanu was tendered and marked Exhibit B1-7.
The Police Witness went on that on 2nd September, 2025, a letter of request was sent to the Cyber Unit to analyze three Samsung mobile phones, among which was a Samsung Galaxy S23 which belonged to the first defendant, Abdul Kanu and a Samsung Galaxy S24 ultra and a Samsung Galaxy A05 both belonging to the second defendant, Mohamed Abu Turay.
The letter of request was also tendered in court to form part of the Prosecution’s case.
The Police Witness furthered that on 4th September, 2025, he received a report from the Cyber Unit Department based on the letter of request earlier sent to the Department for analyses of the contents of the phones of the defendants. This letter was also tendered in court to form part of the court’s records.
The witness went on that on 17th September, 2025, he charged both defendants with the offense of wrongful communication of documents. The charge sheets of both defendants were also tendered before the court.
During cross examination by Defense Counsel J. Wales, the Police Witness maintained that the second defendant, Mohamed Abu Turay confirmed to him that he got the said travel information about the President via a WhatsApp group forum called “Loyalist WhatsApp Group”. The witness however stated that he did not investigate the said WhatsApp Group.
Defense Counsel Wales put it to the Police Witness if he could confirm whether the said document was first shared by the defendants, but he responded that he wouldn’t tell whether the defendants were the first persons to share the manifest of the President to the public.
The Witness was also asked if he obtained statements from a certain Patrick Sorie Kamara, the Managing Director of Civil Aviation and one Osman Bureh Jalloh, and he responded that he did obtained a statement from Patrick as he was the one who reported the matter to the authorities.
The witness said both defendants told him that they are business people and they are not working for the government.
He was asked by the Defense Counsel Wales that if he is aware that Patrick is the only one that can deal with the President’s travel manifest and that he could be the one who could have decoded it, and he responded that he is not aware of that.
The documents, according to the witness were sent to the wrong places which made the act a wrongful communication.
At this juncture, the Defense Counsel renewed his bail application noting that the defendants have very strong social ties with their respective communities.
He pointed out that the defendants have been in custody for 54 days as of the date of their second appearance without bail, indicating that granting them bail does not determine the end of the matter, and assured the court that they will conduct themselves well throughout the trial.
However, Magistrate Jah refused to grant the defendants bail on the basis of the seriousness of the offense and ordered that both defendants be remanded at the Male Correctional facility at Pademba Road and adjourned the matter to Tuesday, 28th October, 2025 for continuation.