On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, Mohamed Johnson, Aiah Komba, Kalilu Fofanah, Victor Kellie, and Ishmail Charles were brought before Justice Monfred Sesay at the High Court of Sierra Leone in Freetown.

They faced two charges of conspiracy and murder in relation to the death of Kai Osman Fingiah in Koidu Town, Kono.

During the court proceedings, Prosecuting Witness 13535, Detective Police Constable Mohamed Alie Mansaray from the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in Freetown, testified. He stated that on May 5, 2021, while on duty at the Major Incident Units at CID headquarters, he received a file containing the complainant’s statement, witness statements, and a knife with a brown handle for further investigation. On May 31, 2021, he and Detective Inspector BA Munu obtained separate charge statements from the accused individuals.

Detective Inspector Mohamed Alie explained that he cautioned and questioned the first accused, Mohamed Johnson, in Krio, which he then recorded in English.

He read the statement to Mohamed Johnson in Krio and explained it in English, and the accused acknowledged its accuracy by affixing his right-hand thumbprint. Detective Inspector BA Munu signed the statement as a witness, while Detective Inspector Mohamed Alie Mansaray signed as the recorder.

The same procedure was followed for the second accused, Aiah Komba, with Detective Inspector BA Munu cautioning and questioning him in Krio, and Constable Mohamed Alie Mansaray reading and explaining the statement.

Kalilu Fofanah, Victor Kellie, and Ishmail Charles were also separately cautioned and questioned by Detective Inspector BA Munu and Detective Inspector Mohamed Alie Mansaray, following the same process as the first two accused individuals.

Each of them admitted to the truth of their respective statements and corrected them by affixing their right-hand thumbprints.

Justice Monfred Sesay inquired if the defense counsel had any objections, to which the foreman counsel stated there were none.

Accordingly, in accordance with Section 182 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1965, Act No. 32 of 1965, Randy Salieu Bangura, Esq, representing the accused individuals on behalf of the Legal Aid Board, was present with ten jurors. The State Counsels included Aruna Jalloh, Esq, Moses Johnson, Esq, and Tommy Bangahun, Esq.