By Hafsatu Z Bangura
Justice Adrian Fisher J, presiding in the ongoing corruption allegation matter between the State and Dr. Samura Kamara has on the 1st April,2022 in the full view of High Court No.1 said he is not abhorring any personal beefing for anyone. He made this statement to the defence counsel, Ady Macualey over the authenticity to cross examine on particular document in the said matter.
He continued that fair and speedy trial is paramount as members of the public are given chance to witness the process of the trials, he advised Defense Counsel Ady Macualey against ill behavior in court towards him and not to attach emotions in handling the case as he said he doesn’t have a personal beef with anyone and warned that when people as he made the referral to defense counsel Ady Macualey that sanctions would be applied if he fails to adhere to court regulations.
Justice Adrian Fisher and defense counsel for the 4th accused Ady Macualey had a one on one argument over cross examination questions of the prosecution witness to comment on a document that is not before the court as mentioned by Justice Fisher and that the person who made the statement is not before the court, while Exhibit AQ1-4 shows that the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs states what the legal opinion entails.
The prosecution witness was given a copy of the document to read in court of which Justice Adrian Fisher halted the witness not to comment on the said document or questions as he said he considers the document to be ear say.
While, defense counsel Ady Macualey countered the statement from the Judge in which he said the document was ear say and holds no relevance and thus angered Justice Adrian Fisher as defense counsel said his document was relevant and was asking questions to the witness relating to the document and to read what entails in the document and warned him of not insinuating the witness to answer to an ear say document as he considers the behavior of Defense Counsel Ady Macualey to be an open challenge and disrespect for the bench.
State Prosecutor apologized on behalf of Defense Counsel Ady Macualey on his behavior and Frank Kargbo also apologized on behalf of defense counsel also.
Justice Adrian Fisher threatened to hold Defense Counsel for Contempt due to his behavior though Defense Counsel refute this and said he was only trying to question the prosecution witness peacefully as Justice Adrian Fisher claims the document was presented to the court but the proof of the evidence of the document makes it ear say as the person who made the statement is not before the court to prove the relevance of the document. The heated argument between Defense Counsel Ady Macualey and Justice Adrian Fisher led to a standing down order by Justice Adrian Fisher in which he describes the attitude of defense counsel to be challenging to his authority.
Saidu Nallo, Adekalie Foday Suma, Foday Vahfomba Bawoh, Dr. Samura Matthew Wilson Kamara, Dr. Kandeh Foday Basil Kamara and Jules Sanders Davies are all accused person standing trial before Justice Adrian Fisher of the High court of Sierra Leone at the High Court No1 in Freetown on indictments of corruption charges.
Dr Samura Kamara on the 23rd of November 2021 was indicted alongside Saidu Nallo head of Chancery Sierra Leone’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, Foday Vahfomba Bawoh former Financial Attaché of Sierra Leone Mission to the United Nations in New York, Adekalie Foday Suma, former permanent representative of Sierra Leone mission to the United Nations in New York and Jules Sanders Davis an American Citizen and agent contractor of the Sierra Leone permanent mission to the United Nations, on various corruption charges relating to the reconstruction of the Sierra Leone United Nations Permanent representative Chancery Building in New York.
The five were charged with forty eight counts of corruption offences bordering on failure to comply with Applicable Procedures and guidelines relating to procurement, the management of funds, Misappropriation of public funds, Abuse of office, Fraudulent Acquisition of a benefit, Knowingly Deceiving a principal and conspiracy to commit a corruption offence.
The state prosecutors were represented by C.T Matesbo, OV Robbin Mason Snr, EK Amara, KAS Conteh while the defense counsel for the 1st accused was represented by MP Fofana, HM Gevao, respectively and for the 2nd accused person A S Sesay, J Marling Spaine, K Yillah, H. Kamara, JB Sesay, ZD Kamara and for the 3rd accused H M Gevao and for the 4th accused Dr. Samura Kamara were Franklyn Bai Kargbo, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, Ambassador Amadu Koroma, Melron Nicol Wilson, Alfred Jalloh, Musa H Koroma, Suleiman Kabba Koroma, Africanus Sorie Sesay, Ibrahim Sorie, Ady Maculey, Brima Koroma, Roland Nylander, Ibrahim A Kamara, Emmanuel Karro- Kamara, Boniface Sidikie Kamara, James Bockarie Sesay, Edward Bori Turay, and Jeredine N Spaine all for the 4th accused person and for the 5th accused person was GB Kanneh, FJ Garber, HB Timbo and for the 6th accused person he had no representation.
The matter has been adjourned for further hearing on the 4th April 2022.
