By: Audrey John
In his second appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura presiding over Pademba Road Court No. 1 in the ongoing preliminary investigation into alleged robbery with violence Alhaji Amadu Bah alias LAJ has again been sent into remand.
The accused is facing four counts charges of robbery with violence and assault.
According to the police, the accused LAJ, on Sunday 12 June 2022, at the LEONCO Filling Station with intent to rob, stole the sum of Le 4,200, 000(four million two hundred thousand leones) and assaulted a pomp attendant.
Led in evidence, by State Counsel, lawyer Yusuf Isaac Sesay, first prosecution witness, Ishmael Kamara, fuel pump attendants at LEONCO Filling Station, Water Street in Freetown recalled that on Sunday 12th June 2022, he was on duty at the above mentioned filling station at around 3pm he and his colleagues were at the station when they spotted a black Ford with number plate.
The witness said the car was driven into the Station and when the driver came down he asked why the sales man was sitting down. He continued the driver requested for Le 500,000 worth of petrol, but he was told to the park the vehicle appropriately. He added that argument ensued between a man named “Bugu” and the pomp attendant, by the name of Francess.
“Bugu was curious to know why Francess was sitting idly, but Francess responded that she hadn’t any work to do at the time,” he explained.
The witness furthered that “Bugu” referred to Francess as being lazy, but Francess maintained that she hadn’t anything to do.
He mentioned that a man named “Isho” remarked that “da timberland boots u go kill am o.” He went on to say that Isho called on LAJ to come and speak the language that Francess can hear.
“LAJ who sat at the driver’s seat came down the vehicle, lean on the vehicle. Bugu started raining abuses on Francess, calling her a prostitute,” he said.
The witness said the driver told them that they will no longer pay for 27 litres fuel. “Ishmael drove the vehicle in a short distance from the fuel pomp. Before long, Bugu and LAJ confronted Francess and rain insult on her. Musa who was present cautioned the accused persons to stop insulting Francess.
“LAJ got hold of Musa and hit him on his face. Musa fell on the ground while he was being beaten by some other individuals from the vehicle,” he further explained.
Kamara also mentioned that during the fight, the station manager, Daniel Kary and certain Christiana took the bag from Musa. “Christiana took out her mobile phone trying to film when LAJ saw her and got hold of her, whilst Christiana handed her mobile phone and the sales bag to me, narrated the witness.
When I got hold of Christiana’s phone and bag, LAJ rushed at me and got hold of my throat. I could not breathe and I hadn’t any option but to release the bag to LAJ who made away with it. The bag was containing Le 4,200,000 at the time.
He also disclosed that LAJ and his allies threatened to put the station on fire before they left, but they didn’t succeed.
The witness said Musa had already gone to the Congo Cross Police Station to make report, and a police van traced the vehicle of the accused person and were eventually arrested.
He mentioned that the accused resisted police arrest, but was forcefully taken to the Ross Road Police Station. The witness said he made statement at the Congo Cross Police Station after he received an endorsed medical request form. The said medical request form was produced for identification.
He revealed that ‘Bugu’ later returned the phone and money for the 27 litres of fuel that was pumped into the accused vehicle.
During cross-examination, lead defense counsel, lawyer Madieu Sesay put it to the witness that at no point in time he had been referred to as LA, but the witness said he had referred to himself as LA in one of his tracks.
Lawyer Sesay added that LAJ did not request for fuel, and the witness responded in the affirmative.
The witness also confirmed before the Court that the argument that ensued was between some other individuals but not LAJ. The witness also confirmed that part of their standard operating procedure, the customer is always right.
At this stage, lawyer Madieu Sesay and lawyer I. P. Mamie renewed their previous application for bail. He referred Magistrate Kekura to the provisions of Section 23(4) Act No. 6 of 1991 (presumption of innocence) and regulation 7(b) of the Bail Regulation of 2018 (health condition of the witness must be considered when considering bail).
But the prosecution had put forward an affidavit in opposition to bail.
Magistrate Kekura revealed that he will only consider bail when he is previewed to the authorities defense counsel have cited. He remanded LAJ and adjourned the matter to the 28th June 2022.
