The Court of Appeal Judge, Honourable Justice Tonia Barnett (JA), has ordered the remand in custody of five individuals accused of migrant smuggling and related offenses.
The accused persons include Benson Edward Kamara (22), a network marketer; Nuru Deen Bangapoma Bangura (40), a businessman; Sheik Ibrahim Bangapoma Bangura (42), an imam; Fuad Ibrahim Kuyateh (31), a teacher; and Tiangay Amara (30), a Q-net network marketer. They are facing multiple charges related to migrant smuggling.
Nuru Deen Bangapoma Bangura and his brother, Sheik Ibrahim Bangapoma Bangura, who are jointly charged, face two counts of conspiracy to commit migrant smuggling and one count of migrant smuggling under section 20(1) of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act, 2022.
The prosecution, led by A. Jalloh, alleges that between 1st September 2023 and 30th April 2024, in Freetown, they conspired with others to facilitate migrant smuggling.
Nuru Deen Bangapoma Bangura is also accused of obtaining financial benefits from Nyuma Lamin Tengbeh between 5th September 2023 and 25th April 2024, to assist Tengbeh’s illegal travel and stay in the United States.
Benson Edward Kamara faces two separate charges, each with counts of conspiracy to commit migrant smuggling and migrant smuggling. He is accused of receiving financial benefits from Hassan Mansaray between 5th December 2023 and 25th May 2024 to facilitate Mansaray and Samuel Johnnes Saidu’s illegal travels to Ivory Coast.
Fuad Ibrahim Kuyateh faces charges of conspiracy to commit migrant smuggling and two counts of migrant smuggling, while Tiangay Amara is charged with conspiracy to commit migrant smuggling and seven counts of migrant smuggling.
Additionally, 27-year-old businessman Santigie Bangura and 29-year-old student Chernor Alusine Jalloh, both currently on bail and jointly charged with conspiracy to commit migrant smuggling and migrant smuggling, were absent from court. Justice Barnett has ordered the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) to produce them at the next hearing.
At the beginning of the trial, the prosecution filed a “trial by Judge alone” application, which Justice Barnett granted under section 144(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1965 and its 1981 amendment. The accused persons are being represented by Lawyer Cecilia Tucker from Legal Aid Board.
With all accused persons remanded in custody, the cases have been adjourned to 3rd March 2025.
Source: Judiciary of Sierra Leone Communications
