By: Audrey John
Detective corporal Augustine Ibrahim Kamara has on the 26th August, 2022 before Magistrate Mark Ngegba tendered all witness statements to form part of the trial.
Led in evidence by Deputy Superintendent of police Isatu Gbassy Fofanah the third prosecution witness (PW3) Detective corporal Augustine Ibrahim Kamara attached to the breaking and robbery unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), said on July 3rd 2022, he and two other officers were on duty when a transferred case of robbery with aggravation from Mortema division reached them with four male suspects.
The said file was allocated to DC Kumba E for an investigation while he and others formed part of the investigations. As per procedure, the files contain the testimonies of the first, third and fourth accused persons.
On the 5th of July 2022, a team of investigators including Kanu A.H Kumba E and himself left for Kumoroh village to continue with the Investigations. At the mining site of the complainant, the team obtained several witnesses’ statements.
On 9 July, a police medical request form was issued to the complainant for Medical attention at the Koidu Government hospital. After it has been endorsed by a medical doctor it was returned to the investigating team. On the same date on the way back to the Mortema division, the second accused was identified by one of their colleague police officers as Councilor Boy-boy. He was chased and was later arrested, taken for safe custody at the said police division. The team returned on the 8 from Koidu to CID HQ. On the 11th the team visited the local government minister to inform him about the arrest.
On 6,11,13th July, documents were sent to the scientific support department of CID HQ regarding the colour, site name IMEI number and known customers for all the accused who were on the run; two of whom are still on the run. From the 6-21 July, statements were obtained by DPC Kumba E. from the second accused during which the said accused was cautioned and questioned in Krio, responded in Krio, recorded in English, responded and explained to him in Krio and by affixing his thumb printed.
On 4 and 13 July, the first accused was further interviewed by the said witness, cautioned and questioned in Krio, responded in Krio, recorded in English, admitted it to be true and correct and affixed his thumb printed.
During the cause of the same investigation, the team sent documents to the law officers department at the guma building and on August 1, the CID received advice from the Guma building, Law Officers department. And on the 3rd of August, all accused were finally charged with the Offences of conspiracy to commit a felony and robbery with aggravation. They were cautioned separately in Krio responded separately, read and explained to them separately and admitted it to be true and correct.
On July 23, the team sent a document to the financial intelligence unit for the second and another who is on the run. At the end of the investigations, a progress report was prepared by the team of investigators.
Cross-examination on behalf of the first and fourth, Jessie Jengo Esq asked when was the file handed over for the investigation unit to pursue investigations, the witness said 3 July.
Did it contain the medical report of the complainant? No
Can you tell the court when was the medical report returned? The same date was issued on July 9 but the report was dated July 1 because the officers were unable to access the complainant on the day of the incident until the day the medical form was issued.
The accused persons are Amadu Bello Mohamed Thailey, Augustine Korfuma aka councillor, Boibe Gibnia Conteh and Daniel Somuta aka ‘one-man-geng’ were arraigned in court on four counts of charges ranging from conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to law, robbery with aggravation, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and caring an offensive weapon without lawful authority and reasonable excuse all contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
Counts one states that all the accused on Friday 1st July 2022 at Wongor Mining International Cooperation, Sierra Leone limited kumoroh village, in the Nimikoro chiefdom Kono District conspired together with other persons unknown to commit a felony to wit robbery with aggravation.
Counts two states that the accused persons on the same date and place being armed with cutlass and scissors, robbed Ruiping Chen a Chinese national a black bag containing four thousand, four hundred and ninety-eight point five four grams concentrate of gold substance valued USD 3800 equivalent to (NLe 522,500/00) and at the same time of or immediately before or immediately after the said robbery, did use personal violence to the said, Ruiping Chen.
The police further alleged on count three that the accused person Daniel Samura aka ‘one-man-geng’ on the same date and place assaulted Ruiping Chen in a manner thereby occasioning him actual bodily harm on.
Whiles count four added that the accused Daniel Samura on the same date carries an offensive weapon in a public place with wit cutlass and scissors without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.
Counsel representing the accused persons renewed his previous Bail applications on behalf of all accused persons, but Magistrate Mark Ngegba refused bail and sent the accused person to the male correctional center in Freetown.
The matter was adjourned to the 29th of August 2022 for further hearing.
