Two Nigerian nationals: Momoudu Rakim and Yusuf Sheikh, had on Tuesday 8 April 2025 attempted to escape from prison’s custody at the Pademba Road Court in Freetown.

The two accused persons were taken to court for hearing and they are presently standing trial before Magistrate Shar Kekura of Pademba Road Court no.1 for an alleged possession of cocaine.

According to eyewitnesses, the two inmates, who had been remanded at the Pademba Road Correctional Centre, attempted to break free while being held in the court’s holding cell.

The question was where were the prison officers when both inmates tried to escape from custody?

Eyewitnesses said both inmates were brought out of their cells and were sitting with two women who visited them in court.

They said immediately after the attention of the prison officers were taken from them asvthey used the opportunity to walk faster inside the court who try to onboard on motor bikes when one female officer shouted to the prison officers that both inmates were about to escape from the cell.

At this juncture, all the prison officers took to their heels to catch them leaving the other prisoners behind with no security.

Their escape bid caused a sudden commotion, drawing the attention of both court officials and members of the public who were present at the court premises.

The situation quickly escalated as the noise from the scuffle spilled out in the surrounding area, thereby drawing large crowds, causing tension around the court premises.

The widespread tension alerted security at the court premises which quickly overwhelmed the area, thus prompting a swift response from police officers who arrived on the scene to contain the situation.

The prison officers and police officers acted promptly to re-arrest the escapees and restore order.

In a coordinated effort with correctional authorities, a secured correctional vehicle was deployed to the scene and all the inmates present in the lockup were immediately transferred back to the Pademba Road Correctional Centre as a precautionary measure.

The prison officers described the situation as a serious breach that could have endangered  lives.

He said they acted quickly to prevent a full-scale escape and ensure the safety of everyone at the court.

Authorities have launched an internal investigation into the attempted jailbreak to determine how the inmates managed to orchestrate the escape from within the court’s holding facility.

Security protocols are also being reviewed to prevent future occurrences.

The incident has raised concerns about the security infrastructure at local courts and the need for increased vigilance when handling high-risk inmates.