By: Audrey Raymonda John
Police Constable Samuel Nabieu Bangura attached to the Magboraka police station has told the court that his boss Gabriel Tommy was threatened by Hon. Mohamed Bangura, Samura Matthew Kamara and other All People’s Congress Members.
Hon. Mohamed Bangura and Yeabom Sesay are before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba Road Court No.1 on counts of Riotious, conduct, threatening language, public insult behavior, assault on police, among other charges.
It was alleged on the charge sheet that on the 11th June 2022 at Mathora Village, Khalifa Rowala Chiefdom in the Tonkolili District the North East Region of Sierra Leone assaulted inspector General of police Gabriel G.M.T Tommy whilst in due execution of his lawful duties.
On count two at the same place and date the accused persons did use insulting words to the annoyance of the said Gabriel Tommy in order to provoke him to commit the breach of the peace.
On count three the accused persons did wrongfully and without legal authority intimidate the said Gabriel Tommy by threatening to hit him with his vehicle.
On count four the accused persons behaved in a riotous manner.
On count five the accused persons obstructed assistant Inspector General of police Gabriel Tommy whilst in due execution of his lawful duties
The charges were read and explained to the accused persons and they pleaded not guilty.
Eariler, the Forth witness continue with his cross examination by counsel for second accused Brima Koroma who responded in a question put to him.
He recalled sending a correspondent for the release of second accused.
He said he did not receive any response relating to that.
According to the witness, he re called questioned the second accused if she ever received a phone call from AIG Gabriel G.M.T Tommy.
The witness said to ascertain the fact, he requested for the cell phone of AIG Tommy and with his leave he went through his dial call and noticed that there was a phone conversation on the 14th July 2022.
On page sixteen of the exhibit before the court, the Forth witness said those they enquired from at the crime scene told him that second accused used insulting languages against AIG Tommy.
He mentioned one Mr. Abdul Karim, the bodyguard to complainant and the village head man as eye witnesses whom they enquired from.
Upon reaching that point, the Bench asked defence counsel to advice his client about her demeanour which he did by going straight to the dock and talk to her.
The witness said second accused denied bulldozing the check point and further stated that it was the police that gave them entrance.
When questioned as to whether AIG Tommy travelled with the vice president to Sambaia Bendugu, the witness responded in the affirmative.
The witness said there were issues touching and concerning the second accused from the crime scene on to the time the vice president returned back to Freetown.
In another question put to him, the witness said he never talked to NEC in respect of the rally date even when he knows that it is the body responsible for electioneering.
At the end of cross examination the state docked their next witness Mr. Jusu.
Highlighting the dock the fifth witness Detective inspector Mohamed Jusu attached to the Cybercrime scientific support unit at the Criminal Investigation Department recognized both accused persons.
He said on the 15th July 2022 he was on duty at the Cybercrime unit when he received a correspondent and one flash drive including four different videos for forensic analysis and report.
He produced the said request for identification in court.
The flash drive was about to be tendered when counsel for first accused Lansana Dumbuya raised an objection on the grounds that the state never shows him the flash drive for perusal.
Responding to the defence, state prosecutor Yusuf Isaac Sesay Esq said nobody have ever seen what was on the flash drive. He said they have laid proper foundation and the witness is in better position to do that.
Proceeding further, the witness said when he received the flash drive he examined it and discovered four videos. He said during the course of examination he used two tools hash key and analyser to check whether the videos are authentic and assured that there integrity was not tampered with.
In conclusion, he said the videos were not tampered with neither their integrity abused.
The witness said he watched the videos severally and reduced his findings to report, and before concluding his report, he was opportune to see the Mercedes Benz Maroon colour bearing number plate MP cons. 006 which he took snap shot to compare whether or not that car was the one he saw in the video.
He said all other findings are included in the report.
The witness said he signed the report dated 26th August 2022.
At this stage, the witness was ordered by the state to practically show in a power point presentation what was on the four videos.
Based on the video, he concluded that the crowd did not make it behind the check point because there is a restriction.
He said bulldozing police check point reduced the moral of AIG Tommy and other police officers.
In cross examination by defence counsel for the first accused Lansana Dumbuya, the witness confirmed that first accused was not on the video.
On the third video, the witness said he saw a force trying to lift the check point whiles the police preventing it.
Counsel for second accused doesn’t ask any question in respect of his client.
In view of that Magistrate Mark Ngegba adjourned the matter to the 9th October 2022.