January 25, 2022
By Audrey John
Septimus Thompson, Moses Thompson and three others made another appearance before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba road court No.2 on five Count charges to wit threatening to kill contrary to section 6 of the offences against the persons Act 1816, Wounding with intent contrary to section 18 of the offences against the person Act 1861, Assault contrary to section 19 CAP 37 of the Laws of Sierra Leone 1960,
Larceny contrary to section 2 of the Larceny Act 1916 and Trespass contrary to section 15 (1) (a) of the Public Order Act No.46 of 1965
According to the particulars of offence on diverse dates between the 16th day of November 2021 to the 15th day of January 2022 at Kent Junction Waterloo the western area in Freetown threatened to kill the complainant Sorie Turay and Aberdeen Sesay, on count two at the same place and date wounded the said complainant with intent to cause them grievous bodily harm, on count three the accused persons assaulted the said complainant, and on count four did steal electricity panels valued at 5,00p United States dollars equivalent to fifty seven million Leones(57,000,000), one Leyland generator valued at 35,000 United States dollars equivalent to four hundred and two million five hundred thousand Leones(402,000,000) one Kye Japan Jew crusher valued at 45,000 United States dollars equivalent to five hundred and seventeen million five hundred and eighty thousand Leones all to the total valued of 85,000 United States dollars equivalent to nine hundred and seventy seven million five hundred thousand Leones property of Home Building Plus Limited and Abeideen Sesay herein and on count five the accused persons unlawfully entered into the compound of the complainants Home building plus Limited and Abeideen Sesay.
The charges were read and explained to the accused person no plea was taken.
H. Kamara is representing the accused person, and lead in evidence by State Prosecutor, Lawyer Musa Pious Sesay Snr.
First Prosecution witness (PW1), Abeideen Sesay a business man said he recognized all the accused persons as well as the other complainant.
He recalled on the diverse date between the 16th November 2021and 30th January 2022 when he returned from the United Kingdom and they paid a visit at the Quarry site together with some of his partners.
He explained that upon his arrival he met the accused persons at his site and at that time he was close with his business partners.
He revealed that the accused persons threatened to kill them by insisting that the site does not belongs to them and let him took all the items he brought to the site outside and the items were Trucks, tractors, and they threaten them and his partners were around and the accused person were irritated.
He disclosed that they started assaulting Sorie Turay and the accused person slap him and took his phone from him and chocked him and he intervene meanwhile the partners has left at that time.
He narrated that one Mr Sillah was with them who knew the second defendant and he advised Sorie Turay to go and make report to the police station after that Mr Sillah called the Fourth defendant and the first defendant said they have to remove the Matter from the police station and he told them that this is my site and have been here since 2006 and I was introduced by the community people and I informed them that the Land in question is a state Land he acquired the Land through the Ministry of Lands.
He said the list is from the Ministry and he was granted permit for the said Ministry on the 15th January 2022 around 3pm and he later went to the site with his cousin Yusif Kamara and he met the 1st, 2nd 3rd and fifth accused person and later he spot the 4th accused person arriving and they were surveying in the land and I stopped them and told them that you have already seen that work is going on here and they responded that all the machines they have there are scraps and the 5th accused rushed at him and chocked him and the 1st accused person also come and help him and he nearly lost his breath.
He explained that his cousin rushed and rescued him and all of the accused person rushed at his cousin Yusif and there was an heavy scuffle at the time and he told the accused persons that so you were the ones that were stealing my items here and they responded that you don’t know and the missing items were valued at 85 thousand united States dollars.
He noted that whenever he showed up at the Land the defendant came and threatened his Caretaker.
He revealed that they reported the matter at the police station about the missing items where he did a fellow up call at the police station and they told him to keep his eyes open if he finds out about anything let him inform the police.
He explained that he knows the first defendant as the Headman of Mama Beach who was crushing stones at the said Land.
The land was given to him for the purpose of building houses and he has been in the land for sixteen years and he employed over sixty workers who are on pay roll.
Yusif Kamara was called and identified in court.
The document was given to him by Ministry of Lands which was presented to the court Counsel.
Representing the complainant Musa Pious Sesay senior seek for an short adjournment date for him to called the appropriate person to tender the document.
He was cross examined by defense counsel Jesse M Jengo, you said you have a state lease of that property the witness said yes since 2006 why are you not with the lease given to you by Ministry of Lands the grants was given to him 2012 and the lease was given to him 2006 how many Plot of Lands are you talking about 55 to 56 acres of land how many caretakers you have.
“ I have two caretakers you have and operative power systems the witness said he was with it before you told the court that the weight of the items even twenty people cannot carry it not so the witness said the accused person bringing trucks the witness said I can’t tell the registration number of the trucks, when did you make statement to the police station yes I made statement to Tombo police station three times on the 15th January 2022 when did you made the first statement to the police I made it on November 15th November 2021” he concluded.
However Magistrate Ngegba refused bail and sent all the accused persons to the male correctional center in Freetown and adjourned the matter to the 26th January 2022.