By: Audrey Raymonda John
A Labourer, Francis Mansaray 23 years old appeared before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Ross Road Court No. 1 for robbery with aggravation.
The accused person was arraigned before the court on two counts of robbery with aggravation and a count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The police say the accused, Francis Mansaray, on Saturday 18th March, 2023 at Sierra Leone Frozen Compound, in Freetown, conspired with unknown persons to commit a felony, to wit robbery with aggravation.
The charge sheet further stated that the accused , on the same date and place, in Freetown, robbed the complainant, Amos Junior Lavalie, of four (4) trollies valued at one hundred and twenty-eight Leones (NLe128) or one hundred twenty-eight thousand old Leones (Le128,000) belonging to Sierra Leone Frozen Company, while in custody of Amos Junior Lavalie.
It was also alleged that the accused assaulted the complainant in a manner thereby causing him grievous bodily harm.
Led in evidence by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mohamed M. Bangura, prosecution witness (PW) 4, Detective Sergeant 1074, Alex Abubakar Moijeh Binding, attached to the Anti- robbery unit, at the Regional Ross Road Police Station, Harbour Division recognized (PW) 1, including the accused and could recall the day in question.
He said he was on duty at the said division, when the complainant, Amos Lavalie, made a report of releasing fire-armed on thieves at the Kissy Frozen Compound.
Upon receiving the information, he said he and a team of police officer left for the crime scene and on their way, the team met a police officer from the Operations Support Department OSD) wings in the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) he joined and they all left for the crime scene.
Upon arrival, the complainant handed over to them a kitchen knife with black handle as exhibit.
The exhibits were handed over to the Exhibit Clerk, whose name was not mentioned, for safekeeping.
At this juncture, Magistrate Kekura refused the accused bail and remanded at the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road in Freetown.
The matter was adjourned to 19th October, 2023, for further examination in chief.