Principal Magistrate of the Eastern Province and Magistrate of Court No. 1 in the Kenema Judicial District, His Worship, Hadiru Daboh, has refused bail to twelve accused persons who made their first appearance before the court on Tuesday, 1 July 2026, in connection with allegations relating to the burning of the Kailahun Police Barracks on 21 June 2026.
The accused persons were arraigned before the court following their arrest on 30 June 2026 at about 7:40 p.m. The matter was brought before the court by the Inspector General of Police under Case No. C/3 519/26.
According to the court charge sheet, the twelve accused persons are Momoh Musa, a 20-year-old student from Investor Mosque, Taryor Street, Freetown; James Ndogbo, an 18-year-old trader from Massaquita Section, Kailahun Town; Jeremeh Sesay, a 29-year-old businessman from Kenewa Village, Kailahun District; Karim Boe, a 30-year-old puppeteer from Jimmy Section, Kailahun Town; Denis Alpha, a 25-year-old commercial motorbike rider from Belebu Section, Kailahun Town; Momoh Kallon, a 33-year-old tailor from Daru Town; Magi Kpulen, a 37-year-old livestock inspector from Massaquita Section, Kailahun Town; Alhaji Kallon, a 28-year-old commercial motorbike rider from Saka Street, Daru Town; Samuel Yorpo, an 18-year-old motorbike rider from Keburang Section, Kailahun Town; Ibrahim Saidu, a 19-year-old motorbike mechanic from Kailahun Town; Momoh Janga, a 21-year-old mason from Dodolor Section, Kailahun Town; and Jesu Baeinba, a 26-year-old commercial motorbike rider from Nyaandehun Village, Kailahun District.
During the proceedings, Principal Magistrate Hadiru Daboh declined to admit any of the accused persons to bail and ordered that they be remanded in custody pending the next hearing of the matter.
The court’s decision followed the first appearance of the accused persons before Magistrate Court No. 1 in Kenema. Although the front page of the charge sheet confirms that the complaint was instituted by the Inspector General of Police, it does not specify the charges or particulars of the alleged offence.
The document instead directs readers to the reverse side of the charge sheet for the statement and particulars of the alleged offence. However, that section was not available for independent review, making it impossible to verify the specific allegations before the court.
Court officials confirmed that the case is linked to the reported burning of the Kailahun Police Barracks on 21 June 2026, an incident that has attracted significant public attention within the district.
The proceedings did not indicate the plea entered by the accused persons and no details were disclosed regarding the evidence presented at that preliminary stage of the case.
With bail refused, all twelve accused persons will remain in custody while police investigations continue and the prosecution prepares its case.
The matter has been adjourned to a later date for further proceedings before Magistrate Court No. 1 in Kenema. The court is expected to continue hearing the case as the judicial process unfolds. Meanwhile, the allegations remain before the court and the accused persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in accordance with the laws of Sierra Leone.
