By: Audrey John
One of the government`s observer under the ministry of fisheries and marine recourses, Joseph O Beach has narrated how a Chinese national Tian Xianjun attacked and nearly killed him at the high seas.
The accused on the above action is before the court for assault and malicious damage contrary to law.
It was alleged on Thursday 21st January 2021, at the high seas, the accused assaulted one Lama Kamara and maliciously damaged a fishing vessel which nearly claimed the lives of many.
Taking the witness stand and led in his examination in chief by Inspector AT Bangura, the witness Joseph O Beach, a government observer under the ministry of fisheries and marine resources recognized the accused as the chief engineer of one of the vessels.
He said he is responsible to tally catches, record them, record the location of vessels on the areas they are fishing and also serve as an ambassador between the local fishermen and the Chinese.
The witness said on the 21st of January 2021, he was in the deep seas on board a vessel shooting and at around sixteen hundred hours, the fishermen removed the fish and he went to tally, when one fisher man by the name of Lama Kamara surfaced and complained that the accused is disturbing him.
He said he advised him to keep his peace and stay off him.
The witness said the accused also went to the cabin and he told him to go and report whatever to the captain.
“My lord I was still speaking when the accused grab lama, but I managed to separate them”, he said
Explaining further, he said he was still doing his work at the cabin when one fisherman went and told him that the accused has stabbed lama.
He said he rushed out and when the accused saw him, he tried to keep the scissors but he took it and showed it to the captain.
The witness said he was coming from the captain room when he saw the accused holding a dagger which he also took from him.
Narrating what transpired, the witness said he tried to talk to the accused but he advised him (the witness) to go to another boat because he has planned to kill all the other crew.
The witness said he was still trying to put things under control when the accused went and grab a knife.
He said the accused climbed and open the control room and started cutting the cables at the control box.
“My lord I tried to stop him and in the process I sustained injury on my head”, he said.
Explaining further, the witness said the accused resist and went into another room. He said after a while, the accused came out with his body all wet.
The witness said he instructed one fisherman by the name of Francis to check what happened and he later gave him information that water has started entering the boat which according to him is very fatal.
He said he went and told the captain and when he came down, the accused was nowhere to be found.
The witness said by that time the vessel has started sinking, a disaster was looming which made him call for rescue.
In continuation of his testimony, the witness said the rescue boat arrives and he and other fishermen managed to place him into the boat, landing like a fish on the net.
He said at the end of the day, they were rescued and it was discovered that the entering of the water into the boat was because of the removal of some parts on the boat.
“My lord upon reaching the shore, I presented the items to the marine police and made statement in respect of what transpired at sea.
He produced photocopy of the report he wrote after the incident as exhibit, to form part of the courts record.
The witness further stated that he was issued a police medical request form which he took to the hospital for examination and treatment.
Cross examined by the accused, the witness said he was there to represent the government.
In another question put to him by the accused, the witness denied having knowledge of lama and other Sierra Leoneans beating him.
The witness said he was not aware about anything like bullying against the accused because he was in his cabin working.
At the end of cross examination, the prosecutor seeks for an adjourned date in order for his next witness to come and testify.
The matter was adjourned by magistrate Mark Ngegba to the 22nd of June 2022.
