By: Audrey John
The current presiding Magistrate of the Pademba Road Court No.2, Magistrate Isata Sellu Tucker on Tuesday 9th August 2022 refused bail and remanded the accused Mustapha Fofana for allegedly wounding a taxi driver.
The accused appeared before the Court for three counts of offences of wounding with intent, wounding, and assault contrary to law.
According to the particulars of offences, on Sunday 17th July 2022 at the car wash, Lumley in Freetown, the accused Mustapha Fofana assaulted and maliciously wounded Abu Bakar Turay in a manner thereby occasioning actual bodily harm.
The accused took no plea when he was arraigned.
Led in evidence by Assistant Superintendent of Police Hawa Bah, the first Prosecution witness (PW1), Abu Bakar Turay told the court that he was a driver.
PW1 said he came to know the accused in this matter and recalled on the aforesaid date when he was in his taxi and called by his colleague driver Mr.Sow at Lumley car wash, adding that he went there and alighted from his taxi. He said Mr. Sow told him to offload certain things in his vehicle which he did, adding that when he was there doing that work, Mr. Sow informed him that the accused had gone and taken his money from his bag and two memory cards in his taxi, upon that, the said Mr Sow held the accused and handed over to him, adding that he saw the accused possessing the alleged stolen properties and roasted corn.
The PW1 furthered that he also held the accused and a fight ensued between them, adding that the accused then took a pint of the bottle and hit him on his right ear. He said the accused wounded him which led to his unconsciousness and blood was flowing from the wounded place.
PW1 said the accused immediately ran and he was chased by and arrested by many people at Lumley safe corn.
In conclusion of his testimony, PW1 alluded that when he regained consciousness, he went and made a report to the Lumley Police Division. He said police issued him a medical request form which he took to the Lumley medical centre but he was referred to Connaught hospital where was finally examined. He said, he returned with the endorsed medical report and a statement was later obtained from him.
At this stage, the Defense counsel’s name was withheld cross examined the PW1 and requested bail for his client but was rejected.
The matter will come up again on Wednesday 17th August 2022.
