By: Audrey Raymonda John
The thirty four accused person among those who were arrested during the 10th August protest, Sulaiman Bangura has took the witness stand and narrated on his defense that he was forced by the police to sign what he doesn’t understand.
Led by defence counsel Kabba T. Dauda Esq, the accused said on the date of the alleged incident he was at Grass Field when the police arrested and took him to kissy police station.
Narrating what transpired before his arrest, the accused said on that day he was called to go and massage someone at Locus Bridge. He said he was there doing his work when he heard people shouting and others running helter skelter.
Explaining further, the accused said he was arrested and taken to the station where he was forced to make statement.
“My lord after obtaining the statement the police read it to me but I did not understand because I did not go to school”, he stated.
The accused said at first he refused to signed but the police forced him out of consent.
Testing his evidence by prosecuting counsel Assistant Superintendent of Police Ibrahim Shiek Mansaray, the accused confirmed he was a massage therapist.
The forty eight accused person Alimamy Kamara when docked in his defence told the court that on the date of the alleged incident he was in a vehicle when the police arrested him.
He said he was neither among the protesters nor involving in damaging and looting of the police stations.
The accused on his defence further explained that he was in a vehicle trying to maintenance it when the police arrived and dragged him out of it.
He said the police tortured him before taking him to kissy police barracks, where statement was obtained from him after spending four day in custody.
Cross examined by the prosecutor, the accused in a question put to him responded that the police did not tell him what they arrested him for. At the conclusion of cross examination, Magistrate Marke Ngagba adjourned the matter to Thursday 5th of December for further hearing