By: Audrey Raymonda John
Mohamed Kamara, Alie Yasanneh, Osman Conteh, Ishmael Osman Kamara and Ibrahim Kamara have made their first appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Ross Road Court No. 1 for allegedly carrying offensive weapon to wit, a pair of green scissors.
The accused appeared before the court on three counts of charges of carrying offensive weapon, disorderly behavior and riotous conduct contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
It was alleged that the accused, on February 2023 in Freetown, were found carrying offensive weapon to wit, a pair of a green scissors. The police say the accused, on the same date and place in Freetown, behaved in a disorderly manner.
The charge sheet indicates that the accused, were also found behaving in disorderly manner.
The accused pleaded not guilty of all the offences leveled against them.
It was against this back drop that Defence Counsel A. Bangura applied for bail on behalf of the accused by relying on section 79 of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 23 of 1965, in addendum to section 23(4) of the 1991 Constitution.
Mr Bangura intimated the bench that the accused are Sierra Leoneans, living in ordinary residences in Freetown, assuring that they have reliable sureties willing and ready to enter into their cognizance.
He assured the bench that granting bail to the accused cannot resonate them from crimes, promising that his clients will always avail themselves in court as and when. Responding, the police prosecutor Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), O.M. Bangura was averse to bail though he failed to serve defence an affidavit in opposing bail.
Responding, Magistrate Keikura said ‘taking into the consideration that counts two and three have been order of the day’, he denied the accused first, second and third accused and remanded at the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road in Freetown. Magistrate Kekura ordered that the fourth and fifth accused be taken to the juvenile home.
The matter was adjourned to 10th February 2023.