By: Audrey Raymonda John
Lamin Kargbo 31, who was arrested on 3rd June 2023 by Detective Sergeant 5515 Kamara arraigned before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Ross Road Court No. 1 for allegedly robbing Emmanuel Sesay’s of his infinite mobile phone hot 20, an LG mobile phone, an old Bluetooth, one driving license, and a cash of NLe7,340 totalling eleven thousand, eight hundred and ninety leones (NLe11,890) and at the same immediately before and after the robbery, used personal violence on the complainant.
The accused appeared before the court for the offences of robbery with violence, wounding, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
It was alleged by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) that the accused, on Tuesday 16th May 2023 at Rogbagba in Waterloo outskirts of Freetown, robbed the complainant of the aforesaid valuables worth thousands of leones.
The charge sheet furthered that the accused, on the same date and place assaulted and wounded the complainant in a manner thereby causing him grievous bodily harm.
Led in evidence by Sergeant 9874 Memunatu Monica Turay prosecution witness, Musu Charles residing at Mama Beach Tombo outskirts of Freetown knew the complainant as her husband, and recognised the accused in respect of the matter.
She said she could recall Tuesday 16th May 2023. She said on the said date, she was at home in Tombo when she and the complainant boarded a motorbike and left for Rogbagba adding that upon their arrival, the complainant called one Chernor and informed him that they have arrived.
Madam Charles said after a few seconds, she saw five men coming towards them, disclosing that upon approaching them one of the men said the complainant was the one. She said one of them slapped the complainant and grabbed his mobile phone and started beating him.
PW 2 told the court that during the fight, one of the men who was in possession of a of pair scissors rushed at the complainant which warranted him to run away from them and they started pursuing him.
The witness said when Chernor attempted to grab one of the men, called Body, they ran away the with complainant’s phones and bag.
The witness said they reported the matter to the Hastings Police Station outskirts of Freetown where she made a statement.
During cross-examination, the accused asked the witness if he was arrested on the same date on the day of the incident, to which she responded in the affirmative.
The accused asked the witness if, on the day of the incident, she saw him at the crime scene, to which she also responded in the affirmative.
He confronted the witness that he was not the fifth accused, instead, he was the sixth person.
The police prosecutor, Sergeant 9874 Turay M.m intimated to the bench that she had no re-examinations. Responding, Magistrate Kekura refused the accused bail and the accused was remanded at the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road in Freetown.
Meanwhile, the matter was adjourned to 18th July 2023 and promised that he might consider bail for the accused at the next hearing.
