By: Audrey Raymonda John
Magistrate Mark Ngegba of the Pademba Road Court No.1 on Monday 19th December 2022 sentenced 43 convicts to prison after he found them guilty of committing various offences during the deadly August 10 riot in Freetown, while discharged 12.
The Convict were under trial for 21 counts of offences ranging from riotous conduct, Disorderly behavior, malicious damage, insulting conduct, and throwing missiles to loitering contrary to law.
According to the particulars of the offences, on Wednesday 10th August 2022 at various locations in Freetown, the convict Mabinty Bangura, Mohamed Jalloh, Kadiatu Kamara, Osman Junior Kamara, Maseray Bangura, Kadiatu Bangura, Mohamed Kargbo and 48 others did behave in a riotous and disorderly manner.
They were on the same day found throwing missiles and loitering within Freetown.
The Convict also damage the K-step Police post, Kissy Police Post, Congo Water police post, Approved school Police Post, Wellington Police Post and others.
In his ruling, Magistrate Ngegba said the Prosecution has proven its case beyond all reasonable doubt by providing all necessary elements of the offences charged.
He, therefore, disclosed that the Prosecution led 10 witnesses.
He furthered that 41 witnesses testified for the Defense, while the 20th, 21, 22, 31, 33, 44, 50, and 54 accused did not testify, according to him, they informed the court that they relied on the statement that they made to the Police.
According to Magistrate Ngegba, the evidence adduced before the Court for the 54th, 10th, 13th, 28th,19th 37th, 55th, 48th, 34th, 36th, 40th and 29th accused were not convincingly found guilty, while the 43 convicts were convincingly found guilty for the offences charged.
In his plea mitigation, Defence counsel Musa Baraytay Esq. pleaded with the Bench to temper justice with mercy.
He said the convicts were first-time offenders, urging the Bench not to pass a custodian sentence to his clients.
The learned Lawyer reiterated that the custodian sentence would affect their well-being, noting that they have been under custody for about five months and that they have learned their lesson.
Magistrate Ngegba without wasting time sentenced the convicts to serve a jail term of 24 months on the offence of malicious damage, 18 months’ imprisonment for the offence of riotous conduct, 12 months’ imprisonment for the offence of disorderly behavior, and 6 months imprisonment for the offence of throwing missiles and loitering respectively.
He noted that the jail term must run concurrently as stated in the charged sheet.