By: Alimatu Kargbo
Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens of the High Court in Freetown has sentenced five men to 80 years’ imprisonment each for the brutal robbery and murder of Reverend Father Augustine Dauda Amadu, while a sixth convict received 14 years in prison for receiving stolen property linked to the crime.
The convicts are Martin Sallu, Gbessay Swaray, Foday Sallu, John Bangali, Joseph Gikamaji Kamara, and Foday Alhassan Sesay.
They were indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravation, robbery with aggravation, conspiracy to murder, murder, and receiving stolen goods, contrary to the Larceny Act of 1916.
The prosecution alleged that between 1 and 29 August 2025, the first five convicts conspired to rob and murder Father Amadu in the Southern Province. Armed with a firearm, they stole his Lenovo laptop valued at US$350 and Le5,000 in cash before killing him. The sixth convict, Foday Alhassan Sesay, was found guilty of receiving the stolen laptop in Freetown, knowing it had been unlawfully obtained.
In his judgment, Justice Stevens said that although all six men pleaded not guilty, the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt through overwhelming evidence, including confessional statements made during police investigations.
The judge noted that Gbessay Swaray and Joseph Gikamaji Kamara admitted taking part in the killing, while Foday Sallu acknowledged that he knew of the planned attack but failed to alert the authorities.
The court also found that the evidence given by Martin Sallu, Foday Sallu, and John Bangali in their defence was inconsistent with statements they had earlier made to the police. John Bangali also admitted during the investigation that he pretended he was going hunting before joining the operation.
Justice Stevens further noted that Foday Alhassan Sesay admitted buying the stolen laptop despite knowing it was stolen.
Relying on medical evidence, the judge said the post-mortem examination revealed that Father Amadu suffered a broken neck and a fractured right hand, and his body was discovered in a pool of blood inside a toilet.
Describing the killing as “brutal and senseless,” Justice Stevens said the convicts had taken the life of a man of God for personal gain and offered no justification for their actions.
The court also heard that Gbessay Swaray had escaped from prison while serving a life sentence for another offence, before becoming involved in the murder.
During mitigation, the convicts pleaded for mercy, except Swaray, who denied responsibility. State Counsel Patrick Lumumba Williams informed the court that the minimum sentence prescribed by law was 14 years, while defence counsel Karim Kargbo of the Legal Aid Board urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
After considering the submissions, Justice Stevens sentenced Martin Sallu, Gbessay Swaray, Foday Sallu, John Bangali, and Joseph Gikamaji Kamara to 80 years’ imprisonment each, with the sentences to run consecutively. Foday Alhassan Sesay was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment for receiving stolen goods.
