APC Sheriff and 8 Others Denied Bail in Unlicensed Security Operations Case

Justice Adrian Fisher has firmly rejected bail for Alpha Sheriff, famously known as ‘APC Sheriff,’ along with eight other individuals.

They face charges related to operating private security services without a license, possessing small arms without a license, and unlawfully concealing arms without a license, all in violation of the law.

The accused, which includes Alpha Sheriff, Alhassan Kamara, Alhaji Saidu Fofanah, Sorie Sillah, Abdul Karim Mans, and four others, were initially brought before Magistrate Mark Ngegba at Pademba Road Court No. 1. The charges stem from an incident in Kebbie Town, Bo, on June 7, 2023.

It would be recalled that Alpha Sheriff was among those who escaped from the Pademba road prison on November 26, 2023, but was later recaptured.

After several hearings at the Magistrate Court, the case advanced to the High Court of Sierra Leone, under the jurisdiction of Justice Adrian Fisher. The proceedings involved arguments from both the State Counsels and Defence Counsels, with Lawyers Ady McCauley and Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara representing the accused persons, and State Counsels Ahmed James Bockarie and Amadu Jalloh representing the prosecution.

During the proceedings, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara informed the court of the inability to determine the whereabouts of the remaining seven accused persons. Justice Fisher expressed frustration at this revelation and demanded an explanation from the custodians of the Pademba Road Correctional Centre regarding the missing individuals.

In response, a custodian disclosed that the remaining eight accused persons were among those who escaped during the prison break on November 26th. The warrants for these individuals were burnt during the escape, but production orders had been issued for those present in the dock.