By: Audrey John
Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba Road Court No.1 on the 2nd September 2022 remanded 6 alleged rioters of August 10 incident.
The accused Abubakar Conteh and 5 others residents of Freetown appeared before the Court for 2 (Two) counts offences of riotous conduct and disorderly behavior contrary to law.
According to the particulars of offences, on Wednesday 10th August, 2022 at the Central Business District in Freetown did behave in a riotous and disorderly manner.
The accused pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned.
Sergeant 9155 Dwight Macarthy led first Prosecution witness (PW1) Sergeant 7929 Desmond Septimus Harding attached to the Criminal Investigation Department CID Central Police Station. The witness said he recognized all accused persons and recalled on the 10th August 2022 in the morning hours the LUC of Central Police Station I.T Tarawalie arrested the accused persons for the offences of Riotous conduct, Disorderly behavior and unlawful assembly at various locations within the Central part of Freetown such as York Street, Regent Road, Sani Abacha Street.
PW1 said the local Unit commander submitted a report to them since then it was in the custody of the police and the said report was produced and tendered in court to for part of the court records on the said date a team of investigators Supervised by Inspector B.A Munu visited the scene of crime, and obtained caution statement from the accused persons separately.
The said statement was read over and explained to the accused persons which they admitted to be true and correct by afflicting their right hand thumbprint separately, since then the said station was in the custody of the police all caution statement of the accused persons was produce and tendered in court.
Cross examination by defense counsel Lansana Dumbuya Esq at the time of the incident where were you the witness said I was in my office, you told the court that the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th accused persons were arrested by your LUC the witness said yes, on the said date was the accused persons unlawfully gathered the witness said yes, I’m putting it to you that base on the circumstance the accused persons gave to you didn’t investigate that bit; the witness said yes he didn’t. For how long have you been an investigator; the witness said for fifteen years.
Samuel A Conteh for the 4th accused person adopted the cross examination made by Lansana Dumbuya Esq.
Second Prosecution witness (PW2) Inspector Brima Amara Mumu attached to the Criminal Investigation Department Central Police Station also testified and said he recognized all accused persons and recalled on the 10th August 2022 a team headed by the LUC at Central Police Division arrested and brought in the accused persons and made a report of riotous conduct and disorderly behavior.
PW2 said a team headed by him obtained statement from one of the arresting officer Lansana Kamara since then that statement was in the custody of police and on the said date they finally charged the accused persons with the offences they’re standing trial. The witness said the accused persons sign the charge statement separately since then the statement was in the custody of the police; charged statement of all the accused persons was produced and tendered in court.
Cross examination by defense counsel Lansana Dumbuya; did you looked at the statement of the 5th accused person the witness said yes, the fourth accused person told you that she is not going to make statement without her lawyer; the witness said yes and she told you that she’s a business woman and that was why she was arrested; the witness said yes the sixth accused person did you know who arrested her; the witness said the team arrested her, she told you that she was arrested at her business place the witness said yes, the first accused person told you that he’s a security personnel the witness said yes the third accused person told you that he was bereaved the witness said yes he told him and he investigate that bit the accused person was bereaved
Counsel representing the accused person renewed him previous Bail applications that the accused persons are the bread winners of their family.
However, Magistrate Ngegba refused bail and sent all accused persons to the male and female correctional center in Freetown, and matter was adjourned to the 5th September 2022.
