The Principal Magistrate of the Eastern Province, His Worship Hadiru Daboh, has committed 18 accused persons to the High Court for trial after ruling that the prosecution established a prima facie case against them in connection with the June 21, 2026 disturbances in Kailahun Town.
Delivering his ruling in Court No. 1 of the Kenema Judicial District on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, Magistrate Hadiru Daboh stated that, after carefully considering the evidence presented and the statements made by all eighteen defendants at the police station, the Court was satisfied that the prosecution had produced sufficient evidence to warrant the matter proceeding to the High Court.
“Having gone through the pieces of evidence advanced before this Court and having regard that all the eighteen defendants have relied on their statements from the police station, it is the position of this Court that the prosecution have made a prima facie case sufficient enough to warrant the committal of the matter to the High Court for trial,” the Magistrate ruled.
The Court consequently refused bail for all eighteen defendants and ordered that they remain in custody pending their appearance before the High Court.
According to the charge sheet filed by the Inspector General of Police, the accused persons face a total of 14 counts arising from the alleged attacks on the Pendembu Road Police Barracks and surrounding residential properties in Kailahun Town on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
The charges include conspiracy to commit a felony, arson, malicious damage, housebreaking and larceny, and incitement.
Court documents allege that the defendants conspired with other persons unknown to commit arson before allegedly setting fire to Block 152A of the Pendembu Road Police Barracks, a Government facility under the custody of the Sierra Leone Police. They are further accused of maliciously damaging Blocks 152A and 152B of the barracks during the incident.
The prosecution also alleges that the accused persons unlawfully broke into several residential quarters within the police barracks and stole cash, household appliances, electronic devices, clothing, police uniforms, motorbikes, furniture, food items and other valuables belonging to multiple residents. The charge sheet lists several complainants, including Abu-Bakr Kallon, Mohamed Seidena Kanneh, Christian Caulker, Sheku Brima, Fassay George Augustine Benjamin, Peter Sundifu, Abass Sillah, Isatu Baby Mansaray, Christopher Abioseh Thomas and Samson Caulker, with the combined value of the allegedly stolen properties amounting to hundreds of thousands of new Leones.
The fourteenth count specifically accuses Jenneh (Jeneba) Senesie of incitement, alleging that she encouraged the other defendants to commit the offences of arson, malicious damage, housebreaking and larceny during the disturbances at Kailahun Police Station and the Pendembu Road Police Barracks.
The eighteen defendants committed to stand trial are Momoh Musa alias Investor, James Ndogbo alias Fastest, Jenneh Senesie, Karim Bockarie, Davis Alpha, Momoh Kallon, Maada Kpulun, Alhaji Kallon, Samuel Yopoi, Ibrahim Saidu, Momoh Janga, Jusu Baimba, Momoh Kanneh, Alie Sesay alias Jolojolo, Lamin Nabieu, Amara Morie, Daniel Amadu alias DJ and Amara Sidie Baimba.
With the committal proceedings concluded, the matter will now be transferred to the High Court, where the accused persons will answer the 14-count indictment. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
