By Sallieu S. Kanu
Sierra Leone – October 2025: In a compelling demonstration of justice and compassion, the Legal Aid Board of Sierra Leone has successfully secured the release and repatriation of Venicious, a sailor from Burkina Faso, who was wrongfully incarcerated for over a year.
Venicious’s ordeal began in September 2024 when he disembarked from his stranded boat at Bonthe Island to purchase cigarettes. His brief walk turned into a nightmare after he was arrested by the Sierra Leone Police and charged with “Loitering with Intent”—a charge he neither understood nor intended to commit. He was remanded in custody following an appearance before Magistrate Momoh Lansana and spent nearly twelve months in detention, during which his health deteriorated significantly.
The turning point came when the Director of the Sierra Leone Correctional Service, Joseph Senesie, flagged Venicious’s case during a routine inmate review at the Freetown Male Correctional Centre. He promptly alerted the Executive Director of the Legal Aid Board, Ms. Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles, who escalated the matter to Chief Justice Komba Kamanda. In response, the Chief Justice assigned Honourable Justice Jamestina King to preside over the case and notified the Director of Public Prosecutions, who submitted a ‘no case’ against the accused.
Given the international dimension of the case, the Legal Aid Board contacted the Burkinabe Consulate to verify Venicious’s nationality. With confirmation secured, Ms. Carlton-Hanciles assigned Legal Aid Board Manager, Counsel Cecilia Tucker Esq, to file a writ of Habeas Corpus, challenging the legality of Venicious’s detention and advocating for his release on health grounds.
On October 14, 2025, Justice Jamestina King ruled in favor of discharge, citing medical grounds. The decision was supported by submissions from both State Counsel Aruna Jalloh Esq and Counsel Tucker. The ruling, witnessed by Mr. Sheku Dumbuya, representative of the Burkinabe Consul, included an order for safe repatriation within seven days and mandated the Consulate to report the outcome to the Chief Justice, Legal Aid Board, and Director of Public Prosecutions.
Ms. Carlton-Hanciles personally addressed the sailor, reaffirming the Board’s commitment to justice and human dignity. Venicious expressed profound gratitude, his release marking not just the end of a legal battle but the beginning of a new chapter.
This case underscores the Legal Aid Board’s vital role in ensuring access to justice for all, regardless of nationality or socio-economic status. It highlights the Board’s unwavering dedication to upholding human rights and the rule of law, reinforcing Sierra Leone’s reputation as a nation committed to fairness and inclusion.