September 9, 2021
By Audrey John
In the arms and ammunition matter between Honorable Emmanuel Saidu Conteh and two others, the four prosecution witness Fatta Rahman, working for Leone Dock Labour Company and Freetown Terminal has told the court that he found the pistols and Ammunitions on the front seat zip of the vehicle.
Led in evidence by state counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay, he said he is responsible to survey or condition vehicles when unstuffing containers. He said he also do tallying, recording and filing of documents.
He said on Friday 2nd July 2021, he was at the vehicle examination site, Freetown Terminal Queen Elizabeth quay performing his duty when he came across one grey Nissan Pathfinder.
He said he wrote exactly how he saw it outside and when he entered to write the content that were inside, he noticed that the two front seat has zip whiles unzipping them, he saw a plastic bag containing unassembled pistols and magazines.
The witness said he zipped the seat and went back to where the container was unstuffed and called the consignee Sheriff Jalloh who gave him the key and informed his immediate supervisor Foday Fofanah and Victor Muana intelligence officers.
Explaining further the fourth prosecution witness said in the presence of Sheriff Jalloh, he unzipped the front seat for the second time and removed all the contents including unassembled pistols, magazines and a packet contains live rounds bullets. He said after showing the consignee, he put the contents in a plastic bag and continue to condition the vehicle, whiles Sheriff Jalloh went back to the container.
He said few minutes after, the entire ground was full with securities and custom officers.” I left the scene to continue my work”, he concluded.
Testing his evidence in cross examination on behalf of the first accused by defense counsel Emmanuel Teddy Koroma, the witness said he has a form to indicate the inside and outside of any vehicle about what he surveyed.
The witness confirmed that with his ten years experience it is prudent for a consignee, or the owner to present when checking a vehicle inside.
At that point the defense noticed that one of the witnesses was standing close whiles proceeding are ongoing. They sought the Bench leave to take judicial notice of that witness.
State prosecutor Yusuf Isaac Sesay said whether the witness was there it cannot be certified by the defense. He submitted that trying to listening to what a witness was saying can only amount to suspicions.
He said that is assuming and conceding in a giving fact the defense cannot ascertain the same.
The witness was called by the Bench and he ascertained that he was standing out right at the window.
In continuation of cross examination on behalf of the second accused by defense counsel J M Jengo the witness said he closed the vehicle as soon as he saw the contents.
Questioning the witness on behalf of third accused by defense counsel Lansana Dumbuya, the witness said there are guidelines and rules to survey or condition a vehicle.
At the end of cross examination, Magistrate Sahr Kekura adjourned the matter to Monday 13th September 2021 for the state to take its next witness.