State fails to file charges against forex bureau murder suspects

Following their arrest, the Police levelled two criminal charges against them: Conspiracy to commit a felony, contrary to section 341 of the Criminal Offences Act 2025, and Murder, contrary to section 155, punishable under section 156 of the Criminal Offences Act 2025.

The Police alleged that Musa Saine and Dawda Kora conspired between themselves to commit a felony therein to wit: Murder, thereby committed an offence.

The Police also alleged that Musa Saine and Dawda Kora with malice aforethought caused the death of one Isatou Fatty by stabbing her with a knife multiple times on the chest and back, thereby committing an offence.

The duo was later released by Hon. Justice Janneh of the Bundung High Court after the Attorney General's Office and the Ministry of Justice failed to file an official indictment against them.

The accused persons first appeared before the Brusubi Magistrates' Court on the 14th of January 2026 and were remanded by the said court that same day. 

The case was subsequently transferred to the High Court for lack of jurisdiction due to the gravity of the offences alleged.

The file was thereafter assigned to Hon. Justice Janneh on the 20th January 2026 and it was first mentioned on the 5th of March 2026.

On the said date, the 5th of March 2026, Hon. Justice Janneh made an order directing the State to file its indictment in the case within 30 days from the 5th of March 2026.

 However, despite the court's 30-day ultimatum, the state failed to file an indictment within the stipulated time frame.

Considering the circumstances, Hon. Justice Janneh referred to the practice direction issued by the Hon. Chief Justice, Hassan B. Jallow in respect of transferred matters from the subordinate court to the High court which requires that if after 60 days of a matter having been transferred to the High court, no indictment is filed, the court may consider releasing the accused persons conditionally or unconditionally.

Hon. Justice further noted that the State had a reasonable time from January, when the matter was transferred to the High Court, to do the needful in the case and ensure that an indictment was filed.

On the 22nd of April 2026, Hon. Justice Janneh then granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of D1, 000,000.00 (One Million Dalasis), with 2 sureties each. She ordered that each of the sureties shall swear to an affidavit of means in the said sum.

Hon. Justice Janneh further ordered that the sureties shall deposit their original I/D cards with the Principal Registrar of the High Court and provide title documents of a property value of not less than D1, 000, 000.00 for each of the accused persons.

She then adjourned the case to the 5th of May 2026 and stated that if the state failed to file an indictment before the said adjourned date, the accused persons would be freed to go home.

Hon. Justice Janneh further granted the state up to the next adjourned date to file its indictment failing which the bail granted to the accused persons shall become discharged and the matter shall be struck out for lack of diligence.

When the case returned on the 5th of May 2026, Hon. Justice Janneh, discharged the accused persons and struck out the case after the state failed to file an indictment against the accused persons.

However, The Point has learned that Musa Saine remains at Mile 2 Central Prison while Dawda Kora was re-arrested immediately after being released from Prison.

“Dawda was released on the 6th of May 2026, a day after the court struck out the case. Mile Two Central Prison authorities released him. But the Police arrested him at the gate of Mile Two immediately he was released,” a source close to the matter told The Point.

The source further revealed that the first accused, Musa Saine, remained at the Mile Two Central Prison. The source said Saine is a Senegalese who does not have relatives in the country.

When asked whether Dawda Kora who was rearrested by the Police after being released from Mile Two has access to his lawyer, the source responded affirmatively.

“He [Dawda Kora] has access to his lawyer but the state still has not filed any indictment against him, or Musa Saine. Today is exactly one week since the court struck out the case and up to date, they are not formally charged,” the source revealed.

Madi Jobarteh, a human rights activist, described the re-arrest of Dawda Kora, and the continuous detention of Musa Saine at Mile Two as gross human rights violations as well as disregard for court orders.

“To re-arrest somebody discharged by the court or released by the court is unlawful; it is flouting the authority of the court.  Because what the court decides, it must be respected. So to disregard the authority of the court means you are disrespecting the court. You are putting aside the court's order and that means you are interfering with justice delivery and the separation of powers,” Jobarteh told The Point.

Jobarteh said the re-arrest of Dawda Kora and the detention of Musa Saine after their release by the court is gross misconduct. He said the Police ought to do a proper investigation into cases to identify the real perpetrators of the crimes.

When contacted for comment, Musa Sisawo, the Public Relations Officer of the Police, said he was not aware of the re-arrest of Dawda Kora.

Sisawo promised to reach out to the Crime Management Unit of the Police for an enquiry in the matter. However, after more than 25 hours, he informed The Point that he had still not received any response from the unit.

The Point will continue to follow up on the case with the Police and the relevant authorities.