November 19, 2021
By: Audrey John
Komba Robert Gbanya a forty eight years old caterpillar operator and eleven other residents has been arraigned before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No 1.
In connection of the riot that took place at the recent concluded bye election at Sandor Chiefdom and pleaded guilty to a charge of Riotous conduct.
Digging into the police file, all accused persons were reported to have conspired to commit crime to wit riotous conduct, throwing missiles, forceful entering and malicious damage of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) voting materials for the local council bye election 2021 at Sandor Chiefdom Headquarters town.
In the police file, most of the accused persons denied the allegations levied against them.
After seeking advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution, they were finally charged to court for Riotous conduct contrary to section 12(a) of the Public Order Act No. 46 of 1965.
It was alleged on the charge sheet that on Saturday 13th November, 2021 at Pooling station center 03131, ward 091, constituency 027, Yaryah Village, Sandor Chiefdom, Kono, in the Kono Judicial district, in the Eastern Province of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the accused behaved them in a riotous manner.
When the charge is put to the accused persons, they pleaded guilty.
Making plea mitigation defense counsel C. Pujeh sought the Bench leave not to impose custodian sentence on his client who pleaded guilty and not waste the court time. He said the time they took at the police has served them a lesson not to involve in crime like that anymore.
Submitting further on behalf of his client, defense counsel brought to the attention of the Bench the present condition of the Correctional Center which according to him is not conducive.
“My Lord, everything happen for a reason and when it happens you learn for it”, defense counsel stated.
Responding to the defense, magistrate Sahr Kekura said some of them who witnessed the war did not want to hear crimes like riotous conduct. He said most of the accused are elderly men who ought not to involve in things like that.
Defense counsel C. Pujeh assured the court that he will admonished them thoroughly.
Magistrate Sahr Kekura further stated that Kono has been notorious in electioneering process. He said in the past election, they almost drove the paramount chief of Nimiyama Chiefdom.
“This country should be peaceful, there are other countries who held elections without police chasing them”, magistrate Sahr Kekura said with a weak face.
He said people should have learnt lesson from politicians because they just use and dumped them after the process by deceiving them.
The accused persons themselves begged for mercy and further stated for the Bench to consider them as first time offenders.
Having heard the plea mitigation of defense counsel and the separate pleas of all accused persons, Magistrate Sahr Kekura fined them the sum of two hundred thousand Leone each or serves two months imprisonment.