By: Audrey Raymonda John
Four individuals, 36-year-old Joseph Starnley, 30-year-old Sukainatu Starnley, 27-year-old Zainab Starnley, and 19-year-old Abdulai Starnley made another appearance before Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 1 in Freetown.
The accused are standing trial for wounding, contrary to Section 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861.
According to the particulars of the offense, on 27th April 2025, at No. 59 Regent Road, Lumley, in Freetown, the accused persons allegedly maliciously wounded Denis Christian Pratt.
Prosecutor Inspector M.K. Taylor led the first prosecution witness, Denis Christian Pratt, who is a staff member at Africell, to testify in court.
Identifying the accused persons at the dock, the witness recalled the events of 27th April 2025, involving an altercation between himself and the accused.
He testified that he was on his way to visit a friend, Mr. Amara, and used the compound of the accused as a passage. While passing through the compound, the first accused, Joseph Starnley, allegedly insulted him using obscene language, accusing him of not greeting them.
The witness responded that he had greeted them, but they probably did not hear him. He further stated that he told Joseph Starnley that insulting him was unnecessary.
According to the witness, the fourth accused, Abdulai Starnley, then struck him on the head with a stone, causing pain. He fled to his friend’s house for safety.
However, the accused allegedly forced their way into the compound by kicking the gate and subsequently beat him mercilessly. He claimed that the first and fourth accused left visible scars on his body.
At that point, the prosecutor requested an adjournment to allow further progress in the case.
Defense counsel A. Kamanda Esq. applied for bail on behalf of all the accused persons.
Magistrate Jah granted each accused person bail in the sum of Le20,000 (twenty thousand Leones), to be approved by the Deputy Registrar.
The matter was adjourned to 2nd July 2025.