By: Audrey Raymonda John
A sulking mother, Theresa Sawaray who was arrested on 21st August 2023 by Detective Police Constable (DPC) 18670 Bangura M.L appeared before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Ross Road Court No. 1 for allegedly unlawful possession of sixty-eight wraps of substance suspected to be Kush.
Prosecution witness doubles as formal witness, Sub- Inspector Desmond Kamara residing at Jalloh Terrance in Freetown attached to the Regional Ross Road Police Station, Harbour Division at the CID he said he recognized the accused and recalled on Tuesday 15th August 2023.
Inspector Kamara said on that day, at 16:03pm, he was on duty at the Anti-Drug unit, at the said division, when he and a team of police officers boarded SLP 350 head by Sub-Inspector Musa Conteh.
He said the team left for Grafton axis on the outskirts of Freetown, noting that upon their arrival at No. E6A Grafton New Camp, based on the intelligence they got, they conducted a search at the accused’s premises and during the search, they discovered sixty -eight (68) wraps of substance suspected to be Kush.
Mr Kamara told the court that the search warrants was endorsed signed by the accused, witnessed by an independent witness, Gladis Sinnah of the same address.
The search warrant was produced and tendered in evidence.
He said the accused and exhibits discovered were taken to the Ross Road Police Station and handed over the accused including the exhibits to the CID for further investigations.
Mr Kamara said he reduced his findings into report, which was produced and tendered to form part of the court’s records.
During cross examination by defence counsel Musa A. Kamara put it to the witness that he would agree with him that he was the lead investigator to which he responded in the negative.
Lawyer Kamara confronted the witness that he wrote a report which allegedly prompted them to conduct a search the accused’s residence.
Responding, he answered in the affirmative.
Lawyer Kamara confronted the witness that in his evidence in chief, he told the court that he arrested the accused before they conducted a search at her premises.
He answered in the negative.
He asked the witness if the said arrest was made in an open space to which he answered in the affirmative
Lawyer suggested to the witness that he concluded his opinion before conducted a search at the accused’s residence to which he answered in the negative.
Mr Kamara applied for bail on behalf of his client pursuant to section 79 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 32 of 1965, assured the bench that the accused is an ordinary Sierra Leonean residing Freetown.
He said the offence which the accused was charged with are merely allegations until prove otherwise.
In response, Magistrate Kekura denied the accused bail and remanded her at the Female Correctional Centre on Pademba Road in Freetown.
The matter was adjourned to 6th September, 2023 for further hearing.