By: Audrey John
Ade Manneh a business man made his first appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba road court No.6 in Freetown on four court charges to wit causing grievous bodily harm contrary to section 18 of the offences against the person Act 1861, Wounding contrary to section 20 of the offences against the person Act 1861, Assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to section 47 of the offences against the person Act 1861 and public insult and provocation contrary to section 2 of the public order Act No.46 of 1965.
According to the particulars of offence on Sunday 19th June 2022 at glory drive off Regent Road Lumley the western area in Freetown with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm, maliciously wounded, assaulted Sorie Kamara in a manner thereby occasioning him actual bodily harm and did use certain insulting words in order to provoke him to commit the breach of the peace
The charges were read and explained to the accused person. No plea was taken.
Led in evidence by Inspector Kadie M Taylor Prosecution witness number one Sorie Kamara a business man said he recognized the accused person.
On the day of the incident, he recalled on the 19th June 2022 something transpired between himself and the accused person.
Around 10:40 he left his business place at Johnson drive Regent Road Lumley,
He went to his wife at Glory drive Regent Road Lumley to eat; he met the accused person and his girlfriend using abusive languages in front of his house.
He asked his wife to explain what transpired between herself and the accused person.
After that, he asked the accused person why he’s using abusive languages on his wife.
He didn’t give him audience, the accused told him that he should not ask him about anything and told him he is useless, on his way to his business place the accused person attacked him personally.
He told him that I don’t have any issues with you the accused person hit him on his chest he felt pain and bent down, when he stood up the accused person rush and grab and bit his lower lip and the blood spread all over his cloth he felt pain after that people came along and rescue him and took him to Lumley police station where photographs were taken by the police officer.
He used his iPhone and took pictures of it.
He requested for his lip so that he can took it to the hospital for stitch but they went to the crime scene the lip was nowhere to be found.
The phone and the transformed image was produced and tendered in court and marked as exhibit B1-5.
The witness said he was issued a police medical request form.
He went to Lumley hospital where he was given ten stitches without his half lip he was examined and he returned the police medical request form to the Lumley Police station.
The police medical request form was produced for identification and marked as exhibit Z, statement was obtained from him he concluded.
Cross examination by defense counsel K. Williams you and the accused person are living in the same area the witness said No.
At that particular day of the incident there were no issues with you and the accused person. The witness said No.
I am putting it to you that your wife and the accused person was having issues the witness said yes I met them on the argument.
In fact, you were called by your wife the witness said it is not true, at the said time I went to my wife to eat when I met the incident.
When you arrived you joined in the incident the witness said no I tried to settle the dispute but the accused person ignored him.
The accused wife told you not to interfere in the dispute the witness said the wife and the accused person used the same language on him.
I’m putting it to you that the accused person never bite you the witness said he hit me and bit his lip and removed it.
You hit the accused person with an object very close to his eye the witness said it’s not true.
I’m putting it to you that you came along with your friends to attack the accused person that is not true.
No re-examination.
Counsel representing the accused person renewed his previous Bail applications on behalf of the accused person.
However, Magistrate Kekura granted the accused person bail in the sum of one hundred thousand Leones or one surety in like sum.
Surety must be elderly and responsible citizen surety should produce employment letter from a reputable institution including identity card of the said institution.
The surety should also be permanently resident in Freetown judicial district, he said surety should come with recommendations letter from a Clergy from any of the recognized denominations in Sierra Leone, stating that he is of a good character backed up with the registration certificate of either the church or Mosque from ministry of social welfare.
He should produce proof of residential status in Freetown bail to be verified by the Bench and to be approved by the Deputy assistant Registrar.
The Matter is adjourned to the 2nd August 2022 for further hearing.
