APC Sheriff and Associate Sentenced to Five Years for Unauthorized Security Operation

Alpha Sheriff, widely known as APC Sheriff, and Amadu Saidu Fofanah have been convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for running an unauthorized private security company.

The ruling was delivered by Honorable Justice Adrian Fisher at the High Court in Freetown. The sentence includes 22 months already served in pre-trial detention, making them the first individuals convicted under the National Security and Central Intelligence Act of 2023.

Sheriff was initially arrested on June 7, 2023, in Bo City while campaigning with Hon. Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah, then-presidential running mate of the All Peoples Congress (APC). In addition to the illegal security operations charge, Sheriff was found guilty of possessing unlicensed firearms and unlawfully concealing weapons, though his sentence for those counts was offset by time served.

The High Court determined that on June 7, 2023, Sheriff, Fofanah, and nine others breached a police checkpoint in Bo while armed with prohibited weapons and security gear. They claimed to be providing security for an opposition APC politician.

Prosecutors argued that the defendants posed a serious threat to national security, particularly after initially admitting guilt before reversing their plea. They sought a 20-year sentence. However, defense lawyer Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara urged leniency, citing the convicts’ good character and family responsibilities.

Justice Fisher acknowledged the severity of the offenses, noting that the accused were caught with weapons during an electoral period. While he recognized their remorse, he upheld their accountability. Both convicts pleaded for mercy during mitigation, citing personal and family hardships caused by their imprisonment.

Sheriff and Fofanah were among several individuals arrested in connection with an attempted coup and prison break on November 26, 2023. Seven others remain at large.

Sheriff had previously escaped from Pademba Road Prison but was recaptured after residents of Gloucester apprehended him. Authorities had offered cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of escaped inmates.

Before the escape, Sheriff and eight others had been denied bail and detained at the Male Correctional Center for illegal firearms possession in August 2023.