By:Audrey Raymonda John
The presiding Magistrate of the Pademba Road Court No.1, Magistrate Mark Ngegba on Monday 12th December, 2022 has withdrawn Mayor Yvonne Aki Sawyer’s alleged obstruction case for ruling to Friday 23rd December, 2022.
This comes after State Prosecutor Yusif Isaac Sesay Esq. served a reply of the written no case submission to the Bench and the Defense team.
The Defense Counsel Melron Nicol Wilson Esq. however intimated the Bench that he was directed by the lead Defense lawyer Joseph F. Kamara to add an oral submission in addition to the written submission which was done on the previous hearing but that was discarded.
Mayor Aki Sawyer was investigated for two counts charges of obstruction of Police Duty contrary to section 39 of the Police Act, 1964, Act No. 7, and Disorderly Behaviour contrary to Section 12(b) of the Public Order Act of 1965 as repealed and replaced by the Public Order (Amendment) (No. 2) Act No. 15 of 1973.
Police records show that on Saturday 17th September, 2022 at the Airport Police Division in Lungi, Kaffu Bullom Chiefdom, Port Loko District, Mayor Aki Sawyer obstructed Detective Sergeant 7966, Richard Junior Caulker and Corporal 12225 Fanta Fofanah while executing their lawful duties.
The State Prosecutor Y. I. Sesay led 4 (four) witnesses in the matter before he closed its case for the prosecution.
One of the Prosecution witness Jusu, being a cyber analyst attached to the Cyber-crime unit at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, in his testimony presented and played a video which allegedly depicts disorderly behavior of the Mayor.