July 15, 2021
By Audrey John
Robert Alphaeus Brown deputy chairman of the Western Area Rural District Council(WARD-C) and Abdul Turay, Abu Sankoh, Lamin Brima, Moses Musa Swarray, Foday Kamara, Mohammed Bendu, Saidu Conteh and Ibrahim Barrie made their first appearance before magistrate Peter Gogra of pademba road court in Freetown on two counts Charges to wit Riotous conduct contrary to section 12 (a) of the public order Act No.46 of 1965 as repealed and replaced by Act No.15 of 1973 and disorderly behavior contrary to section 12 (a) of the public order Act No.46 of 1964 as amended by section 15 of Act No.2 of 1973.
According to the accused person it was alleged that on the 10th July 2021 at peninsular road Adonkia the western Area in Freetown both accused persons behaved in a Riotous and disorderly manner.
The prosecution tendered the second to ninth accused person’s statements from the police station in court and it was tendered as exhibits A-H.
The Lawyer representing all accused persons Lansana Dumbuya in addressing the court said the accused person didn’t want to waste the precious time of the court and some of them are responsible citizens like the seven and the fifth accused persons and some of them are resourceful young people in society and for this one incident which happened they will never involve in such again because they have realized their mistakes.
Lawyer Dumbuya said he is pleading to the court for him to have mercy and admonished them for not wasting the time of the court.
Magistrate Gogra in giving his ruling he said the second to the ninth accused persons are fined the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand Leones on each count Charges which amount to five hundred thousand Leones each or six months imprisonment in the Male correctional centre in Freetown.
Addressing the court on the first accused who pleaded not guilty Lawyer Dumbuya applied for bail for and on behalf of the accused person.
He said the first accused person is a senior citizen who is gainfully employed at the Freetown rural district as the deputy chairman to Kasho Orland Cole he is an accountant and a law enforcement person and a man with family and he owes responsibility to the court because he will not interfere with the witnesses and he will never jumped bail.
He made his application which is anchored on section 79 sub section 3 of the criminal procedures Act No. 32 of 1965.
Magistrate Gogra in his ruling granted the accused person in the sum of ten million Leones, two sureties in like sum sureties to be resident in the western Area and one surety to be employed.
The bail is to be approved by the DAR.
Inspector Mabel M Tarawalie is prosecuting the matter which is adjourned to the 3rd July 2021.