By: Audrey Raymonda John
Magistrate Santigie Bangura denied bail to Hussein Antar, Jamal Antar, and Suliaman Barie on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, for allegedly Importing Bomb-Making Materials into Sierra Leone.
When the matter was mentioned in court, state prosecutor Yusuf Isaac Sesay informed the court that his witness was absent and, therefore, could not proceed in the circumstance requested for an adjournment.
Lawyer Emmanuel Teddy Koroma, in reply to the application for an adjournment, informed the court that the third accused, Suliaman Barie’s medical condition, is depreciating every day, and he has a medical report to that effect. He said justice delayed is justice denied, adding that they are sure of their case and ready to defend, but the prosecution, he said, is delaying the matter.
He also renewed his application for bail, stating further that the essence of bail is to ensure the feature appearance of an accused and that he said his client would comply with the terms.
In reply, state counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay said he is still objecting to bail, adding that they have made progress in the matter and that the adjournment issue is not illegal.
In respect of the third accused, he said defense counsel is not a medical doctor and that when the third accused appeared in court, his condition was worse than it is now.
He also urged the court to examine the public interest in which the case was attracted.
While addressing them, Magistrate Bangura said he is impressed with the speed at which the prosecution is going with the matter and has led four witnesses but said that notwithstanding, they should proceed with the case in the interest of justice and fear.
With respect to the condition of the third accused, he said they are men of the world but would rely on the correctional service’s report. He added that the correctional facility is in a better position to explain further the health condition of the accused and said that until that is done, he can not decide anything yet.
Magistrate Bangura refused bail and adjourned the matter to the 2nd October 2024
It could be recalled that the accused were arraigned before the court on thirty counts of charges ranging from conspiracy, providing funds for the transportation of chemical weapons, providing funds for the stockpiling of chemical weapons, importation of arms manufacturing material without valid license, possession of arms manufacturing material, having in custody of arms manufacturing, aiding and abetting the commission of an offense, importation and transportation of prohibited drug and perverting the course of justice all contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
According to the indictments, it was alleged that Hussein Antar, Jamal Antar, and Sulaiman Barrie, on diverse days between the 1st of October 2023 and the 9th of July 2024, conspired with other persons unknown to commit an offense by providing funds for the transportation of chemical weapons (bomb-making materials) without licenses.
The indictment further that Hussein Antar, on a date unknown between 11 November 2023 and 9th July 2024 at Freetown, provided funds to Samuel Marrah for the unlawful transportation of chemical weapons from Queen Elizabeth II Quay to a house at Madina Community Waterloo.
Police further alleged that Hussein Antar, Jamal Antar, and Sulaiman Barrie conspired to commit a crime by importing arms-manufacturing material into Sierra Leone without a license on various dates between 1 October 2023 and 30 November 2023.
Also, the accused, on a date unknown between 11 November 2023 and 7 July 2024 at Freetown, had in their possession Arms Manufacturing Material in Sierra Leone without a valid license.
The charge sheet further states that the accused, Jamal Antar and Sulaiman Barrie, aided and abetted Hussein Antar and other unknown persons in importing Sierra Leone bomb-making materials without a license and also stockpiling bomb-making materials in Sierra Leone without a license on diverse dates between 1 October 2023 and 7 July 2024 at Freetown.
The charge sheet furthered that Jamal Antar and Sulaiman Barrie, on diverse dates between the 1st October 2023 and the 7th July 2024 at Freetown, aided and abetted Hussein Antar and other unknown persons in importing into Sierra Leone a huge quantity of prohibited drugs without lawful authority and also aided and abetted Hussein Antar in transporting to Sierra Leone a huge quantity of prohibited drugs without lawful authority.
It explained that all the accused between the 1st of October 2023 and the 30th of November 2023 conspired together to import a huge quantity of prohibited drugs without lawful authority, and also Hussein Antar, on a date unknown between the 1st of October 2023 and the 11th of November 2023, imported a prohibited drug into Sierra Leone without lawful authority.
The police alleged that Hussein Antar, on a date unknown between 11 November 2023 and the 9th July 2024 at Freetown, transported a prohibited drug from the Queen Elizabeth I1 Quay, Freetown, to 93 Smart Farm, Off-Wilkinson Road, Freetown, without lawful authority.
The charge sheet continues that all the accused persons, on a date unknown between the 11th November 2023 and 9th July 2024 at Freetown, had in their possession a prohibited drug without lawful authority and also well-known the
circumstances leading to the importation of bomb-making material into Sierra Leone, fabricate evidence with no intent to pervert the course of justice.
