Five years ago, Sierra Leonean rapper Mohamed Lamin Kamara with the stage name Coke N Gin of the Red Flag Movement (RFM) was arrested, accused, and sent to Sierra Leone’s Male Correctional Centre, Pademba Road prison for the rape and murder of Hannah at the Lumley Beach.
Background
Mohamed Lamin Kamara was arrested for loitering in 2015 and detained by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID. He was later charged with attempted murder and remanded at Sierra Leone’s Male Correctional Centre for five years without knowing his fate.
Red Flag Movement (RFM) support
The popular musician of the Red Flag Movement Alhaji Amadu Bah, popularly known as Boss LA, has over the years, made many social media campaigns with hashtag #FreemaNiggaCOkeNGin, and an outro during most of his songs calling for justice for his colleague, Mr. Kamara.
While he is a fervent believer that violence against women should not be tolerated, he nonetheless holds the view that it is the responsibility of the court to dispense fair justice. With support from the Red Flag Movement in America, he mobilized lawyers, organized press conferences, and protest calling for the release of his colleague, Mr. Kamara. Notably among the lawyers over the years that have consistently helped in defending Mr. Kamara are Ishmael Philip Mammie, Alpha Bah, and recently Janet Momoh, Angela Constance Gabbidon, and Emmanuel Alie Tarawalie.
Popular Entrepreneurs and advocates, Mohamed Atis Bah, and Mr. Ishmail Bah extended their support both financially- legal fees, and through social media platforms amplifying the call for justice for Mr. Kamara.
Amongst the many activists involved in this matter is Sierra Leone’s folk Singer, poet, and advocate Fantacee Wiz Kamara, who is a strong advocate against rape. She was amongst those who demanded justice for Hannah when the incident was reported in 2015. In her quest for justice, she believes that a justice delay is a justice denied, hence her support to ensure that justice is served for both Mr. Kamara and Hannah. As she often echos, “whoever committed this erroneous crime must pay, but no one should be unjustly imprisoned for a crime they know nothing about– a fair trial is a must”
Following the social media campaigns by Boss LA and the RFM movement, we at Salone Messenger decided to come on board and ensure that Mr. Kamara gets a fair trial and for his family to see their son, father, and brother again. Though we were in support of a fair trial, we nevertheless deterred from the view that he should be sentenced in the event the court does find him guilty. As Boss LA has always said, “If it is Coke N Gin that committed the crime, let him be tried and get the justice he deserved. If it is not him, then let him be free.”
On the 21st August 2020, Salone Messenger, contacted Janet Momoh, explaining the situation of Mr. Kamara to which she agreed to support and brought on board two of her colleagues from the BMT Law Chambers, Angela Constance Gabbidon, and Emmanuel Alie Tarawalie. They held meetings with Mr. Kamara whilst in prison. During one of the meetings, Mr. Kamara wrote letters calling for human rights lawyers; legal aid board, and others to help him get a fair trial.
A five-year journey came to an end on 5th November 2020, after a week trial by the lead Counsel Alpha, who secured a not guilty verdict for Mr. Kamara.
On behalf of Mr. Kamara, Salone Messenger, Red Flag Movement, and the entire team, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone for their support over the years and most especially, the lawyers who dedicated their time and resources to this cause, Ishmael Philip Mammie, Alpha Bah, Janet Momoh, Angela Constance Gabbidon, and Emmanuel Alie Tarawalie. the media, Sierranetwrok, and many others who showed their tremendous support, the activities who used social media platforms to advocates calling for his release, not only is Coke N free but he is very optimistic about the future.
During the meeting, Mohamed Lamin Kamara aka Coke N Gin said,
”I want to start by thanking the human rights lawyers, the day you visited me in prison and told me you wanted to not only hear from me but support me, you gave me so much hope. So much hope that even if nothing could have worked out for me, I would have been in prison knowing fully well that my heart is free because I know I didn’t do it. I have been in prison for the past five years waiting for just one thing, to the point, I was just in there looking forward to what God can do for me because I never gave up on God. My conscience was my witness. To the human rights activists who when Hannah was murdered advocated for justice, I want them to know that I have no hard feelings for them, they advocated for the right reasons, it was just the police that arrested the wrong person. the only mistake that happened was that you can not fight for justice for someone while you injustice the next man. Fantacee, you did the right thing. today, I want you all to know that I owe you all. The Red Flag Movement management, my lead council lawyer Bah, the judge, Ishmail Bah, my younger brother Abdul Barrat Kamara, the media, my fans and the rest of you, I owe you all for standing up for me.”
Sallu Kamuskay, Fantacee Wiz Camara, Boss LA,Angela Constance Gabbidon,Coke N Gin,Emmanuel Alie Tarawalie, Janet Momoh, and Festus Conteh during a thank you visit hosted by Coke N Gin and the Red Flag team
Brief Biography of the young lawyers who gave their Pro bono service
Janet graduated from the University of Winnipeg, Canada with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Rights in 2013. In 2015, she earned her LLB (Hons) Law at Kingston University, London, United Kingdom. Thereafter, she completed the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) at The University of Law, United Kingdom, and was later called to the Bar of England and Wales by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in 2016. In 2018, Janet relocated to Sierra Leone where she attended the Sierra Leone Law School and obtained BL through which she was called to the Bar of Sierra Leone in 2020. Janet Momoh is currently a pupil Barrister at BMT Law Chambers.
Before joining BMT Law Chambers, Janet worked as a paralegal at Mills Chody LLP, the United Kingdom handling property and commercial matters and successfully representing clients at the County Court. Thereafter, she served as a legal adviser at Britain Solicitors working on civil matters.
Being in love with the profession since she was 7, Angela Constance Gabbidon joined the Legal Profession in 2020.
Angela attended the Fourah Bay College, the University of Sierra Leone where she did her first year in the Faculty of Arts, and thereafter, enrolled in the LLB Hons program. She was later admitted to the Sierra Leone Law School where she was called to the Bar in 2020. Angela is presently a Pupil Barrister at BMT Law Chambers.
Before joining BMT Law Chambers, Angela worked as an intern at National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) handling corporate matters alongside in-house lawyers in the legal department.
Angela hopes to uphold the integrity of the legal profession and fight for justice because” injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.
Mr. Tarawalie is a holder of a Diploma in Paralegal Studies and an LLB Hons from the University of Makeni in 2013 and 2017 respectively. In 2018, Mr. Tarawalie was admitted into the Sierra Leone Law School and was called to the Bar in 2020.
Mr. Tarawalie has had some work experience in the legal field before his call to the Bar. For example, he worked for the Legal Aid Board Government of Sierra Leone from 2016-2018. He was a Research Assistant to Professor Curtis Doubler, visiting Law Lecturer at the University of Makeni from April 2016 – July 2016. From 2014-2015, he effectively served as an intern at the University of Makeni Law Clinic. Presently, he is serving his Pupillage at BMT Law Chambers.
