February 26, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
Brima Hassan, a student from the United States of America has testified before Magistate Marke Ngegba in Freetown 25th February, 2015 in a matter involving Alhaji Sheku, Ibrahim Turay, and Wahid Hider as accused persons. They are arraigned on five count charges ranging from conspiracy, kidnapping, wounding, assault etc.
The witness said he recognized the three accused persons in the dock. Brima Hassan (PW1 and Complianant) said he had known the first accused person (Alhaji Sheku) for more than 18 years.
PW1 said he received a phone call from one witness Omo to meet her at Youyi Building in Freetown at around 6:30 pm for them to visit the beach. The witness said he later met her at the planned place with some unknown people. He said the first accused person pointed at him after he had spoken with Omo. He said he saw them from a distance where he parked his car.
“I entered the night club close to where they were, later I tried to run out of the club and the second accused person Ibrahim Turay and other guys held my hand, stepped and dragged me across the street.”
He said they beat him and stripped him naked.
The witness said as result of the beating he sustained a swollen face and pain all over his body. The witness revealed that they put him in the back seat of the vehicle and drove away, adding that second accused person and other guys was still stepping on him.
PW1 said when they got to Murray Town junction at a restaurant they stopped. The first accused person Alhaji Sheku (PW1) went into the restaurant and come out with a huge guy and overheard the first accused person Alhaji Sheku saying: “Jamile we got him.” He added that the first accused person pointed at him.
He said there were lot of vehicles behind them and third accused person Wahid Hider and first accused person Alhaji Sheku entered the car and drove off and on their way going he heard the second accused person Ibrahim Turay saying let\s go to Bo highway and let’s kill him. He said the other accused persons suggested to take him to a restaurant.
He said they initially took him to an unknown restaurant at Gloucester Street, while the second and third accused persons took him up stairs as he was still been beaten by the accused persons.
“They took out a phone and started videoing me, and even threatened to cut off my penis, I pleaded with them but to no avail,” witness revealed.
The witness said he overheard them in a telephone conversations saying that the video had gone viral, and he was later taken to the Aberdeen Police Station and they were still beating him up in front of the OSD personnel where he was still videoed.
Later, the witness said, he saw the first accused person talking with one ASP Turay on the phone, and he instructed the three accused persons to be taken to the CID. Later the three accused took him to CID Headquarter while he was in his naked state.
“I was later taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were I was locked up for days before statements were obtained from me.”
The witness said his face was swollen, covered with blood all over his body and was provided a medical report that he took to Connaught Hospital.
He was cross examined by defense Lawyer M.S.Koroma and Lawyer Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai. The witness admitted thatt he was the first to have punched the accused in self-defense.
Lawyer Abdulai said established that it was because of his girlfriend that he had schemed to put the third accused behind bar. The complainant denied.
The matter has been adjourned to 3rd March, 2021.
