Police Investigator Alie Kamara Testifies in Alleged Assassination Plot

In a recent judicial proceeding, police investigator Alie Kamara delivered critical testimony regarding an alleged assassination attempt on Musa Yoroh Barrie, the Director General of the Sierra Leone Aviation Authority.

Kamara, who is assigned to the Cyber Crime Unit at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters on Pademba Road, provided a detailed account of the investigative process and submitted key evidence to the court.

According to Kamara, on April 21, 2025, he was assigned a case of conspiracy by Inspector P. A. Moseray. On the same date, he obtained a statement from Barrie, who provided audio recordings purportedly linked to the plot. Kamara subsequently submitted these recordings to the Cyber Laboratory for analysis.

The investigation resulted in the apprehension of five suspects: Albert Sheriff Soloku, 43, a teacher; Foday Turay, 33, a businessman; Musa Kamara, 32, unemployed; Augustine Rashid Kelfa Josiah, 45, a Human Resource Coordinator; and Kadiatu Kamara, 44, unemployed. Kamara testified that on April 22, 2025, he, Inspector Moseray, and Barrie traveled to Lungi with an endorsed warrant of arrest, where all five suspects were taken into custody at their respective residences.

Kamara confirmed that the warrants were in police custody and were presented as evidence in court. Following their arrest, the suspects were transported to Freetown for interrogation. Kamara stated that, in the presence of their legal representatives, each suspect voluntarily provided caution statements, which they subsequently affirmed as true by affixing their thumbprints. These statements, along with the charges, were formally submitted as evidence.

The specifics of the audio will only be disclosed when the cyber analyst from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) presents the evidence in court. Currently, the officer's testimony was confined to the recording of caution statements and the formal charging of the accused individuals; therefore, the precise content of the audio remains unrevealed until the cyber unit provides its testimony.

The police investigation was subsequently forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal review. On May 12, 2025, the DPP advised that the suspects be charged with proposing to murder Barrie. The suspects’ defense counsel, Madieu Sesay, sought bail for his clients; however, Magistrate John Manso Fornah denied the application, citing the gravity of the charges.

The case has been adjourned to June 24, 2025, for further proceedings.