By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
Samuel Trap made his final appearance upon judgement by Magistrate Hadiru Daboh who reads out the accused judgement delivered by Magistrate Samuel Koroma.
The accused was before the court on one count offense of Malicious Damage contrary to section 51 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861.
The particulars of offense states that the accused Samuel Trap on Friday 24th March 2023, at Bai Bureh Road Ferry Junction, Freetown in the Western Area of the Republic of Sierra Leon, Maliciously damaged nine (9) billboards each valued at One thousand new leones (1,000,000) all to the total value of Nine Thousand new leones (9,000,000) property of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
According to the case file, first factual prosecution witness John Gbondo Marga said he is a cleaning agent and identified the accused person in the matter. He said on the 24th March 2023 he was at kissy when he received a call from Jospehine Abu and informed him that he has seen some boys who were involved in the demolition of His Excellency’s billboards.
He said upon information he made a phone call at the Ross Road police station where the accused persons were arrested at the scene with a razor blade in hand that he used in tearing of these billboards with provocative captions and marks written on it.
According to the judgement of Magistrate Samuel the accused pleaded not guilty to the crime, and as such the offense charged against him in proving his guilt rests on the shoulders of the prosecution.
The guilt to be proved is beyond reasonable doubt to which the prosecution called in four witnesses to which one was a factual witness.
Accused person was sentenced to four months imprisonment by Magistrate Samuel Koroma upon finding him guilty on his confessional statement made to the police.