By: Audrey Raymonda John
Five accused persons made their final appearance before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at Pademba Road Court No. 2 on Monday, 23 February 2026, on four counts relating to wounding and assault.
The accused are Gibrill Sheik Dumbuya, 29, a businessman; Rose Keita, 35, a businesswoman; Mayillah Dumbuya, 30, a nurse; Mafudia Dumbuya, 62, a businesswoman; and Foday Suma, 47, a driver.
They were arraigned on charges ranging from wounding with intent, contrary to Sections 18-20 of the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861, to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, contrary to Section 47 of the same Act.
When the charges were read and explained, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th accused persons pleaded guilty as charged. No plea was taken from the 1st accused, Gibrill Sheik Dumbuya.
According to the police charge sheet, on Monday, 10 October 2022, at No. 12C Thompson Bay, off Wilkinson Road, Freetown, in the Western Area of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Gibrill Sheik Dumbuya allegedly wounded Alimamy Kamara with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.
Count Two states that on the same date and at the same location, he maliciously wounded Alimamy Kamara.
Count Three alleges that Gibrill Sheik Dumbuya, Rose Keita, Mayillah Dumbuya, Mafudia Dumbuya, and Foday Suma assaulted Alimamy Kamara in a manner that occasioned him actual bodily harm.
Count Four further alleges that the same accused persons assaulted Marion Sesay, thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.
The prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police Sorie Conteh, informed the court that the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th accused persons were first-time offenders.
Defence Counsel A. Maddie pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, urging the Magistrate to caution and discharge the four accused rather than impose custodial sentences. He submitted that some of the accused are students, while one is an elderly and unemployed woman, and argued that imprisonment would cause undue hardship.
Counsel M. A. Brima Jah applied for costs to be awarded to the complainants pursuant to Section 52 of the Criminal Procedure Act of 2024.
In his ruling, Magistrate Fornah stated that having considered the pleas in mitigation and the fact that the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th accused are first-time offenders, he would proceed to sentence them.
On Count Three, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th accused were each fined NLe250 or, in default, to serve six months’ imprisonment. On Count Four, they were each fined NLe250 or, in default, to serve an additional six months’ imprisonment.
The Magistrate further ordered that they compensate the complainants, Alimamy Kamara and Marion Sesay, with the sum of NLe500 each, payable immediately after payment of the fines or upon completion of the custodial sentence.
With regard to the 1st accused, Gibrill Sheik Dumbuya, Magistrate Fornah stated that after reviewing the totality of the evidence presented by the prosecution, including witness testimonies and exhibits, as well as the accused’s caution statement, he was satisfied that a prima facie case had been established.
He therefore committed the 1st accused to the High Court for further trial. The court ordered that his bail conditions remain unchanged pursuant to Section 116(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act of 2024.