August 18, 2021
By: Audrey John
Two sisters namely Baindu Murray and Sital Murray have appeared before Magistrate Mark Ngegba, of the Pademba Road Court No.2, for maliciously damaging a slide window glasses and other valuable properties worth millions of Leones belonging to complainant Mason Kargbo.
They changed for malicious damage, wounding, public insult and provocation, threatening language and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, contrary to the Laws of Sierra Leone.
According to the charge sheet, Baindu Murray and Sital Murray, on Saturday 20th February 2021, at Upper Tengbeh town, in Freetown, assaulted and wounded Henry Kargbo, the complainant’s son in a manner thereby causing him grievous bodily harm.
On count two, it was alleged that both accused persons on the same date and place, maliciously damaged a slide window glasses worth five hundred thousand Leones (Le500, 000.00) belonging to complainant and at the same insulted him in the view if the public to his annoyance to commit breach of the peace.
Both accused pleaded not guilty.
Led in evidence by police prosecutor, Sergeant Newstead, PW1, Manson Kargbo, working for the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) told the court that he recognized both accused as his neighbors and could recall 20th February 2021.
According to him, on that date he came from work, tired and sleepy and was about to entered in his bedroom when he heard a loud noise outside the house. Upon hearing the noise, he rushed outside to know what was happening, and saw both accused raining insulting language on his family members.
Mr. Kargbo further stated that he cautioned his family members to stop the quarrel and advised them to stay in his veranda.
“My lord I was standing in my veranda, when the 2nd accused, Sital Murray threw a pickaxe and stoned at my window which eventually damaged the glasses”, he stated.
He said he initially reported the matter to the military police, and while he was there, he received a telephone call from his daughter, Masseh who informed him that both accused have brought gangs at his residence and are pelting stones at their house.
“When I received the information, I went at home, and on arrival, I saw both accused persons and their gangs fled the crime scene,” he said.
The witness added the gangs assaulted his two children and they sustained injuries.
He said he reported the matter to the nearest police station, where he was issued with a police medical request form on behalf of his children for treatment.
He rounded up his evidence that when he returned the endorsed medical paper to the police, he made a statement.
After testifying, defence counsel, H.M Timbo, applied for bail on behalf of the accused person citing section 79(3) of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1965.
Magistrate Ngegba granted the accused persons bail in sum of forty million Leones (Le40, 000,000) each, with two sureties in like sum. He said the sureties should be residents of Freetown and must produce utility bills. He ordered for their Bail conditions to be approved by the Deputy Master and Registrar and the matter was adjourned to 20th August, 2021.