Musa Kallon Sentenced to 10 Years for Manslaughter in Freetown High Court

On Monday, July 29, 2024, the Presiding Judge of the Freetown High Court, Honorable Justice Simeon Alieu, convicted and sentenced Musa Kallon, also known as ‘Tiger Man,’ to ten years in prison for the manslaughter of Sahr Grandi, also known as ‘Mark Fish,’ on Malama-Thomas Street, Freetown.

Kallon was charged with manslaughter for unlawfully killing Grandi on December 6, 2020. The case was prosecuted by State Counsel Hastings Spaine Esq., who successfully petitioned for the trial to be conducted by a judge alone rather than a judge and jury.

In his judgment, Justice Alieu explained that manslaughter is defined as the unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought. He outlined the elements that must be established to prove manslaughter: the accused must be of sound mind, must have committed an act or omission that caused the death of the deceased, and the death must have occurred within a year and a day of the act or omission.

The court heard evidence from DPC 11522 Koroma A and other police officers who discovered Grandi’s body floating in the sea with wounds on his head and hand. During interrogation, Kallon admitted to fighting with Grandi after Grandi insulted Kallon’s mother. Kallon stated that after Grandi stabbed him, he retaliated by stabbing Grandi twice, after which Grandi jumped into the sea.

Pathologist Dr. Simeon Owiss Koroma testified that the stab wounds disabled Grandi’s ability to swim, leading to his drowning. Dr. Owiss’ report confirmed that the stab wounds caused Grandi’s death.

Justice Alieu concluded that the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Kallon’s actions led to Grandi’s death. The judge dismissed Kallon’s claim that he did not know how Grandi fell into the water, stating that Kallon’s free and voluntary statement to the police indicated otherwise.

Defense lawyer H. Momoh pleaded for leniency, highlighting that Kallon was a first-time offender and a young man. However, Justice Alieu, taking into account the nature of the offense and its circumstances, sentenced Kallon to ten years imprisonment as a deterrent to others.

The sentence aims to uphold justice and serve as a reminder of the serious consequences of violent actions.