By Feima Sesay
Freetown, Sierra Leone – May 29, 2025 — Three police officers have taken the witness stand in a preliminary hearing at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.1, testifying in the ongoing treason trial of Joseph Dumbuya and Ahmed Turay, two men accused of playing key roles in the November 26, 2023 failed coup attempt in Sierra Leone.
Appearing before Magistrate Patrick Fofanah, the accused are charged with two counts — treason, under Section 3(1)(a) of the Treason and State Offences Act of 1963, and murder, under Section 1 of the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861.
State Prosecutor Yusuf Isaac Sesay informed the court that the Attorney General and Minister of Justice had granted consent to prosecute the case, in accordance with Section 1(2) of the Treason and State Offences Act.
The first prosecution witness, Gibrilla Kanu, a police officer attached to the Operational Support Division (OSD) at Kingtom, testified that he was on duty when he received a call from his superior, Assistant Commissioner Joe Kamanda Bonjay, informing him that Pademba Road Prison had come under attack.
Kanu told the court that he and a group of officers rushed to the prison but came under heavy gunfire near Campbell Street Junction. Armed assailants allegedly ordered the police officers to surrender their weapons, threatening them with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG).
Kanu further testified that during the confrontation, a man identified as Amadu Koita gave orders and was later joined by a man he identified as Colonel Senesie, who interrogated the officers about their salaries, medical access, and children’s education. The witness said they were then forced into the prison compound and ordered to free inmates.
“I saw the first accused, Joseph Dumbuya, wearing a white shirt and holding an AK-47 rifle,” Kanu said, adding that Koita ordered them to hurry and release prisoners.
Kanu said the assailants smashed open gates while attempting to reassure hesitant inmates that it was safe to flee.
A second witness, Saidu Kamara, also an OSD officer, confirmed that he too was deployed with Assistant Commissioner Bonjay to Pademba Road on November 26, and corroborated much of Kanu’s testimony regarding the attack and the presence of armed men.
A third witness, Sergeant Solomon Amadu, attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, said the first accused, Joseph Dumbuya, was arrested on April 2, 2025, and brought in on allegations of treason and related offenses.
Sergeant Amadu, who conducted the interview alongside Sergeant Hassan Combay, said that the mobile phone of the accused was confiscated and handed to the cybercrime unit for analysis. He also confirmed that Dumbuya had viewed CCTV footage from the day of the failed coup, and that statements were obtained from him under caution.
Both the caution statement and the charge statement of Dumbuya were tendered in court as part of the prosecution’s case. He has been formally charged with treason.
According to the indictment, between November 11 and November 26, 2023, the two accused men, Dumbuya and Turay, allegedly conspired with unknown individuals to unlawfully overthrow the government of Sierra Leone.
The charge sheet states that the accused led coordinated attacks on critical installations, including:
• Wilberforce 5th Battalion
• Joint Forces Command Headquarters at Cockerill
• 3rd Infantry Brigade at Murray Town
• Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC)
• Sierra Leone Correctional Center (Pademba Road)
The prosecution further alleges that during the attempted coup, the accused forcibly released prisoners and were responsible for the murder of Correctional Officer Obi Isaac Johnson.
Defense Cross-Examines Witnesses
All three witnesses were cross-examined by defense counsel Chernor Kamara, who is representing both accused. The accused were denied bail and remanded in custody.
The case was adjourned to Monday, June 2, 2025, for continuation of proceedings.
