By Emma Black

On Friday, April 25, 2025, Justice Adrian Fisher of the High Court in Freetown sentenced Alpha Sheriff, alias APC Sheriff, and Amadu Saidu Fofanah to five years’ imprisonment for operating an unlicensed private security company, in violation of the National Security and Central Intelligence Act of 2023. The sentence accounts for the 22 months the duo had already served on remand, marking them as the first individuals convicted under this law since its enactment.

Sheriff was also separately convicted on two additional counts: possession of small arms without a license and unlawfully concealing arms. For these offenses, he was sentenced to the time already served.

The sentencing follows a judgment delivered on November 15, 2024, after a trial that exposed the convicts’ illicit activities. Justice Fisher recounted that on June 7, 2023, Sheriff, Fofanah, and nine other men were apprehended in Bo, Sierra Leone’s second-largest city, after their white Land Cruiser bulldozed through a police checkpoint. A search of the vehicle revealed a pistol, pepper spray, a green face mask, a military boot, a military compass, and other items.

Justice Fisher noted that Sheriff admitted to police that the group was formed to provide security for the then-main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) flag bearer, Samura Kamara, and his running mate, Chernor Maju Bah. Sheriff disclosed that ten individuals were in the vehicle when it forced its way through the checkpoint, which was later intercepted by police. Fofanah, the second convict, corroborated this account, identifying himself as a member of the “Samuco group” and admitting to possessing pepper spray and a pen-knife.

The prosecution argued that the convicts’ possession of harmful items posed a threat to state security. Although they initially admitted guilt at the police station, they pleaded not guilty during the trial, prompting the prosecution to call witnesses from the provinces. The prosecution sought a 20-year sentence for the first two counts and five years for the third.

Defense lawyer Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, representing Sheriff and Fofanah, highlighted their clean criminal records and good character. He noted that Sheriff’s daughter was ill, and he had been unable to see her, while Fofanah, the breadwinner for his family, had two children who were forced out of school due to his incarceration. Kamara added that Fofanah’s unemployed wife struggled to support the family. He also pointed out that both convicts voluntarily returned to prison after the November 26, 2023, prison break during a failed coup attempt, urging the court to consider their remorse and the 22 months already served. Kamara described the prosecution’s proposed 20-year sentence as “inconsiderate,” given the minimum sentence of five years for the primary count.

Justice Fisher emphasized that the convicts were handling offensive weapons during an election period, discovered by security forces without reasonable explanation. Despite their not guilty pleas, the court found them guilty after a thorough trial. He outlined the sentencing guidelines, noting that the penalty for the first count was a minimum of five years’ imprisonment or a fine of at least 50,000 New Leones, or both. For the second and third counts, the penalty was a minimum of 12 months’ imprisonment or a fine of at least five million old Leones. Acknowledging the convicts’ financial constraints, the judge opted not to impose fines.

In assessing culpability, Justice Fisher determined that the case did not exhibit high culpability, influencing the decision to impose the minimum sentence for the primary count. Sheriff, in his plea for mitigation, expressed regret, accepted full responsibility, and pleaded for a sentence equivalent to the time served to reunite with his family. He highlighted his sick daughter and the collapse of his businesses due to his incarceration. Fofanah similarly pleaded for mercy.

The convicts were among nine accused persons during the preliminary investigation at Pademba Road Magistrate Court. The other seven escaped during the November 26, 2023, prison break and failed coup attempt, leaving Sheriff and Fofanah to face trial.

Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Friday, May 2nd , 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)