Trust Betrayed: Former Ward Boss and Pastor Held for Hiding Alleged Treason Plot
A former ward coordinator and a pastor, figures entrusted with community trust, were remanded in custody on Tuesday on charges of concealing a treasonous plot that allegedly threatened national security, a case that has sent shockwaves through the city.
In a tense hearing at Pademba Road Court No. 1, Mohamed Sanu, 59, and Pastor Kelly Marrah, 53, stood before Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah, accused of the serious crime of misprision of treason. The charge alleges they knew of, but deliberately hid, a treasonous scheme masterminded by one Daniel Keleh Mansaray, alias “Ceaser,” and other unknown individuals.
The prosecution claims the concealment occurred over a nearly two-year period, from November 26, 2023, to July 26, 2025, right under the nose of the community the two men were meant to serve.
The courtroom fell silent as the charges were read. Both defendants listened intently but did not enter a plea. The case’s gravity was underscored when State Counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay, Esq., informed the court of the state’s intention to file the formal consent of the Attorney General, a necessary step for such a high-stakes prosecution.
In a decisive move, Magistrate Jah denied bail, citing the seriousness of the offence. Sanu and Marrah were remanded to the Male Correctional Centre in Freetown, their fate now hanging in the balance until their next court date.
The case has raised profound questions about the shadows that can lurk behind respected positions. How could a community leader and a spiritual guide allegedly become silent accomplices to a crime against the state? The answer, for now, remains locked behind the walls of the correctional facility and the ongoing police investigation.
The matter has been adjourned to September 29, 2025, for further hearings.