February 2, 2022
By Audrey John
As the judicial review week commenced, thirty six years old Martha Gborie took the witness stand and testified before Justice AK Musa and a twelve men jury to narrate how one Mohamed John Koroma and other intruders and attacked her resident, manhandled her and carted away with properties worth millions of Leones.
The accused persons, Mohamed John Koroma and others were arraigned before the court on two count charges of Conspiracy to commit Robbery with Aggravation and Robbery with Aggravation contrary to law.
Martha Gborie a hair dresser said she knew Malsina Gborie as her daughter and recognized the accused persons.
She said on the 19th of March 2021, she was at home at around 9pm, but before going to sleep she closed her door and switched on the lights.
At around 2am in the morning, she heard her son Mohamed shouting ‘thief’.
She said upon hearing that, she rose from the bed; watch over the window where he saw someone holding a gun and machete going towards her son’s room.
She said she opened the door and ran out to her children’s room in order to tell them to dress up properly as they used to sleep naked.
Explaining further, complainant said she saw a group of people cutting the mesh on the window located to the parlor.
“My Lord, I was about to make a phone call when the intruders bang the door and slap me on the face”, she said.
Complainant said she was crying and was not able to recognize anyone.
“I was drag and locked in my room and since then I have not been sleeping well”, she explained.
She said she was inside her room when she heard the intruders communicating about rape and other issue.
Complainant said she was in her room till morning, and when she was released she went and reported the matter at the Adonkia police station.
Later, the witness said she and checked her belongings and observed that most of them were missing.
She said she cannot tell the total cost of the items that were carted away with by the intruders.
Complainant said after making the report, the police went to the scene and took photographs.
She said she was given a police medical request form to go for examination and treatment.
“I was treated at Lumley health center and return the endorsed medical request form back to the police”, she explained.
She said later, her daughter gave her information concerning one of the intruders and I took her to the police to make statement.
She said they were referred to Lumley police station where her child, Melsina Gborie identified the accused person three times in an identification parade.
Testing the evidence in cross examination by defense counsel IS Koroma; complainant confirmed that she did not recognize any of the intruders on the date of the incident.
At the end of cross examination, the matter was adjourned to the 2nd February 2022.