September 30, 2021
By: Francis F.M. Harding
The Seventh Police Witness (PW7) who is the sub-contractor of CSC Construction Company who was a former resident of Moyamba district, Abdul Kofi Koroma has testified before Justice Monfred M. Sesay (JA) on the 28th September, 2021 for alleged 14 counts charges robbery, conspiracy, rape and sexual violence at the High Court of Sierra Leone against sixteen accused persons.
According to police charged sheets, the accused persons are charged with robbery, rape and sexual violence which are contrary to the Laws of Sierra Leone. It is alleged in count one that the accused persons on the 19th May, 2019 broke and entered the dwelling apartments of Martha Lahai, Rev. Jean Lahai and stole items worth millions of Leone and sexually assaulted Madam Martha Lahai.
Testifying in court, PW7 said he was in Moyamba at the residence of Rev. Jean Lahai as his landlord, residing together with Jalloh Amadu Bailor as his colleague of CSC Construction Company in the same compound.
Koroma said he recognized the first accused person as he was caught in their compound on the 19th May, 2019, while he also recognized the 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8th accused persons as those where the ones who entered his room the said date. He added that he recognized the 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15th accused persons at the Moyamba Police Station.
PW7 said he recalled on the 19th May rolling to the 20th May 2019 as he was at his apartment when he heard noise as the dogs were barking as that woke him up.
“We have one care taker by the name of Coachie, I saw light penetrating towards my widow so I thought it was Coachie and I called out his name twice but the voice I heard was not of a familiar one him” narrated the witness.
PW7 said he suddenly got up and saw the light and someone was tearing the window cotton and heard them hitting the widow guard bar so he decided to come out and started shouting “theft, theft”.
He said the sixth and sixteen accused persons entered his room and one of them cut off the solar light so I could not see them; later they held my hands behind my back and started pushing me into my room, while they were armed with cutlasses.
Kofi said the eight accused person was demanding for money and phones while the sixteenth accused person kept on searching for valuable items, and they later catered away with my phones and Bluetooth player.
Witness added that the sixteenth accused person started knocking his back with the cutlass and the eighth accused person was using invectives against him, while they threaten to kill him if they saw him outside. Witness said he saw group of boys wearing black clothes with harmful weapons. The witness revealed that he saw one Hilux vehicle entered the compound with speed and later he heard one of the thieves saying “Bengasi pull out”.
Koroma said he saw Jalloh Amadu Bailor, Joseph Benedict Mbogba with two police personnel in the district chairman’s vehicle, while they had apprehended the first accused person and later the witness said he was invited to make statement at the Moyamba Police Station followed by an identification parade.
Under cross examination, defense Lawyer Komba Kanu asked PW7 whether he saw Jalloh Amadu Bailor, Joseph Benedict Mbogba holding the first accused person, he said yes and several other questions were put to the witness.
At this juncture the State Prosecutor, Joseph A.K. Sesay made an application for notice of intention to called additional witnesses and that application was granted by Justice M.M. Sesay (JA). After the application was granted Police Sergeant 1078 Brima Sama took the witness stand as eight Prosecution witness.
PW8 said he is a process server at the Law Officer Department, and highlighted some of his duties are to subpoena, to serve person of interest and to testify in court. PW8 said he received a subpoena from the State Counsel Joseph A.K.Sesay to serve on Rev. Jean Lahai and Jalloh Amadu Bailor on Bo road Moyamba. He said upon receiving the supine he travelled to Moyamba and was able to contact one Martha Lahai who is a relative to Rev. Jean Lahai who told him that Rev. Lahai had travelled to the United States of America for medication.
The witness said the lady told him that he will not return to Sierra Leone until next month and he also got information that Jalloh Amadu Bailor had travelled to Guinea.
PW8 said he returned to Freetown and informed the State Counsel Joseph A.K. Sesay that they were not in the country.
Testifying in court in the same matter, PW9 Alfred Favor Conteh the court registrar said some of his duties are that he a custodian of the court files and exhibits, including the file of Inspector General of Police against Amadu Turay and 16 others.
Witness said has deposition of Rev. Jean Lahai and the Jalloh Amadu Bailor and that these depositions were taken by the Magistrate in front of all accused persons. The Court registrar said all accused persons were able to examine the two witnesses. The court registrar read the deposition of both witnesses as exhibit E-1-8 and exhibit E-1-5.
The accused persons Amadu Gibao, Alfred Gbassay Sandy, Musa Koroma, Abdulia Kanu, Ansumana Charles, Thomas Willoughby, Claudius Kajue, Banja Tarawallie, Samuel Alpha, Edward John, Ahmed Sesay, Vandy Kamara, Allieu Thoronka, John Sesay, and Alhaji Kamara are standing trial before Justice M.M. Sesay (JA). Representing the State were Lawyers Joseph A.K. Sesay and Solomon Christian Kekura while Lawyer Komba Kanu representing all accused persons. The matter has been adjourned to the 5th October, 2021 at 10: AM.