By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown Magistrate Court No.1 has remanded two men accused of conspiring to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone. Joseph Dumbuya, 50, and Ahmed Turay, 59, appeared before Principal Magistrate Shar Kekura on Thursday, May 15, 2025.
The accused were charged with two counts: treason, contrary to Section 3(1)(a) of the Treason and State Offenses Act of 1963, and murder, contrary to Section 1 of the Offenses Against the Person Act of 1861. The charges stem from alleged activities between November 11 and November 26, 2023, in Freetown.
According to the indictment, Dumbuya and Turay, along with unknown persons, conspired to seize several key military and governmental facilities, including the 5th Battalion at Wilberforce Barracks, the Joint Force Command Headquarters at Cockerill, and the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation at New England Ville. It is further alleged that they forcibly released inmates from the Sierra Leone Correctional Center and attacked the male correctional facility, resulting in the death of officer Obi Isaac Johnson.
Due to the severity of the charges, no plea was taken. Prosecutor ASP Ibrahim Mansaray informed the court that his witnesses were absent, prompting a request for an adjournment. Magistrate Kekura ordered that the accused remain in custody until the next hearing, scheduled for Monday, May 19, 2025.
The case continues to unfold as authorities investigate the alleged coup attempt.