By: Audrey Raymonda John
An elderly man Ibrahim Sesay took the witness stand yesterday as second prosecution witness (PW2) and explained on oath how he and his brother where attacked, put under siege and beaten by Abu Sankoh another, during a land fraud at Hastings.
Abu Sankoh and others are before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Ross Road Court No.1 for preliminary hearings for trespass, wounding with intent and other related offenses after an incident which occurred at Hastings.
Led in his testimony by the chief prosecutor of Ross Road Court No.1, Assistant Superintendent of Police Osman Mohamed Bangura, and the second witness Ibrahim Sesay residing at Hastings recognized the complainant Abdul Salam Sesay and both accused persons.
PW 1 said on Saturday 26th November 2022, he was in a bush at pump line with some youth trying to brush up the grass when the accused person Abu Sankoh and Sulaiman surfaced and hit them with the car.
The witness said the accused persons and their thug armed with machete and sticks put them under siege and start beating and questioning them as to what they are doing at that place.
Explaining further, the witness told the court that from where he was he saw blood whoozing from the head of his brother and the second accused prevented him from going there.
“My lord, I heard my brother shouting, Abu Koroma has chopped my head”, he said.
Narrating to the court, the witness said one of the thugs taken to the site called ‘America’n pushed his brother and hit him with a stone.
He said later they over powered the accused persons and their men. According to him, they chased the accused and men, captured the second and took him to Hastings police post where the report was made.
The witness said he was issued a police medical request form go for examination and treatment at Connaught hospital. He said the endorsed medical form was taken back to the police post.
The said medical request form was produced and identified as ‘exhibits W’.
He said he was later asked to make statement at Hastings police post in connection of the incident.
Testing his evidence in cross examination by defense counsel Alie S Sesay, the witness in a question put to him confirmed having tussle with the accused persons, but specified that he has no knowledge it was because of the land they are brushing.
The witness said the incident occurred around ten to eleven in the morning. In another question put to him, he said throughout the incident, the second accused did not have an encounter with him.
At this point, Defense counsel Alie S. Sesay applied under section 190 for the statement of the accused to be made available to him.
The prosecutor object to the application stating that that section is only applicable to part of the section of the accused statement to be made available.
Having listening to both sides, magistrate Sahr Kekura granted the application of defense counsel Alie S Sesay. He later adjourned the matter to the 22nd of August 2023.