Alie Badara Kanu alias Captain Makeni and Thaimu Bangura are standing trial before Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens at High Court No.1 in Freetown on the 17th March 2025. He stood on two count charges to wit treason contrary to section 3 (1) (a) of the treason and state offences Act 1963 Act No.10 of 1963 as repealed and replaced by the treason and state offences ammendment Act 1963 Act No.21 of 1963 and misprision of treason.

According to the particulars of offence on a date unknown between 24th June 2023 and 29th of June 2024 in Freetown, he among others, prepared to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone by unlawful means.

Count two on the indictment states that on a date unknown between the 1st January and 16th April 2024 in Freetown the accused persons, well-knowing that Captain Senesie, captain John Conteh alias Caesar and other persons unknown, had prepared to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone by unlawful means, but unlawfully concealed the said information.

When the matter was mentioned, the Lead State Counsel, Yusuf Isaac Sesay, respectfully applies to the court to allow Inspector Mohamed Jusu, a member of the Sierra Leone Police Force and a scientific and cyber analyst, to be called as a witness in the matter of The State vs. Alie Badara Kanu (Alias Makeni) and Thaimu Bangura.

The indictment in this case is dated January 14, 2025.

The prosecution seeks to have Inspector Jusu to testify despite his name not being listed on the back of the indictment as his expertise is crucial to the treason matter before the court.

In support of this application, the prosecution has submitted a written notice of intention to call an additional witness, dated March 14, 2025. The notice has been duly served along with relevant material evidence, including:

A cyber report prepared by Inspector Jusu, Screenshots of WhatsApp messages in pictorial form,

Audio messages downloaded onto a flash drive.

These materials were served on the defense on March 14, 2025, in accordance with legal procedure.

The prosecution relies on Section 188 of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 32 of 1965 to support this application and respectfully submits it for the court’s consideration.

Yusuf Isaac Sesay Esq Led in Prosecution witness number three Inspector

Mohamed Jusu attached at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters Pademba Road as the Cyber research unit as a system and data analyst his roles and responsibilities include examination and analysis of electronic evidence including digital devices, extraction of electronic evidence.

He did a report on digital devices and examined it saying during the cause of the investigation following the November 26th failed Coup the Sierra Leone Police formed an investigation team on the said incident Borden on the failed Coup.

He was assigned to look into all digital evidences and to look into electronics devices during the cause of the investigation regarding the two mobile phones being handed over to him which belong to both accused persons. He did physical examination on both devices and they were all in good working order.

As a way of satisfying international witness practices, he put both phones on flight mood to prevent the back and front of data entering or going out of the phones. When he started the examination, he removed the mobile phones on flight mood so that he would be allowed to carry out the various command promptly as a result he first started the command

prompt #06.

This command helped him to get the unique identity of the international mobile equipment Identification number IMEI.

He also did an Identification command number *98# which helped him to get the subscriber’s identity module which are the sim numbers in the phones

To confirm the names of the mobile phone he used IMEI looked up and saw that  it was a software used to identify names on mobile phones.

he also looked into the social media platforms of both mobile phones particularly WhatsApp during the cause of the social media examination.

He discovered a conversation a certain number having a conversation between the second accused save a Markus Hossman because of the evidential material seen on the phone of the second accused he screen shot the WhatsApp conversation between the second accused and Markus Hossman he also extracted voice notes and d screen shots between them he saved the evidential material from the said mobile phone into a flash drive print the screen shot into hard copies.

After examination and analysis he put his findings to observation and conclusion unto the report signed by himself and his Co- examiner Sergeant 6890 Sahr Foday Lebbie dated the 22nd July 2024.

Both mobile phones was produce and tendered in court to form part of the court records the printed hard copies of the screen shot and the flash drive was also produced and tendered in court to form part of the court records.

The witness was asked to go through the screen shot which was marked as exhibit L1-9 Markus Hossman refers to the second accused as Pa Thaimu he also refers to page and Exhibit K which is the flash drive that contains the Audio’s

The witness was cross examined by E.sundars Esq.

At this juncture the prosecution has closed their case said the accused person charge with Treason and misprision underneath the Preliminary Investigation at the Magistrate Court.

The consent of the Attorney General of minister of justice which was file at the magistrate Court also formed part of the court records marked as exhibit A the committal warrant of which the magistrate committed the accused person for the offences they’re standing trial on the committal warrant was produce and tendered in court to form part of the court records.

The accused persons told the judge that they are going to open their defence and they both have two witnesses

Meanwhile, justice Stevens refused bail and sent the accused persons to the male correctional facility in Freetown matter adjourned to the 20th March 2025.