By: Audrey Raymonda John
Fifty-five-year-old businesswoman Christiana Jalloh made another appearance before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at Pademba Road Court No. 2 in Freetown. She is facing three charges, including two counts of domestic violence under Section 2(1) of the Domestic Violence Act of 2007, and one count of larceny of a document of title to land contrary to Section 7(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the particulars of the offense, on July 7, 2023, at Block MQ4, Murray Town Military Barracks, in the Western Area of Freetown, the accused allegedly economically and psychologically abused Suliaman Jalloh, a senior military officer, with whom she shares a domestic relationship.
The third count alleges that on the same date and location, the accused stole one conveyance document, dated April 11, 1994, recorded at Page 148, Volume 476 of the Book of Conveyances. The document pertains to a parcel of land located off the main road at Moriba Water, Kaningo Area, Juba Hill, Lumley, Freetown, said to be the property of Mr. Suliaman Jalloh.
When the charges were read and explained to the accused, no plea was taken.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Sorie Conteh led the second prosecution witness, Donald Macauley, a police officer attached to the Family Support Unit (FSU) at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters on Pademba Road, Freetown.
Macauley testified that on January 14, 2025, the complainant, Suliaman Jalloh, visited the FSU office to report new developments in an ongoing case. The file was assigned to Macauley by MCO Crime, Sergeant 11243 Conteh C, for further investigation.
Macauley said he obtained an additional statement from the complainant and later invited the accused to CID Headquarters. On January 20, 2025, together with DPC 14966 Kamara J.B., he obtained a voluntary caution statement from the accused in Krio, which was then translated into English. After the statement was read back and explained to her in Krio, the accused affirmed its truthfulness by affixing her right-hand thumbprint. The process was witnessed by DPC Kamara J.B., who also signed as the recorder.
The statement was produced and tendered in court as evidence and marked as Exhibit A1–9.
On February 28, 2025, the accused was officially charged using the same procedure. The charge statement was also produced and tendered in court, marked as Exhibit B1–3.
At this stage, the prosecutor requested a short adjournment to hold a proper conference with his next witness.
Magistrate Fornah adjourned the matter to June 26, 2025, for further testimony. Bail for the accused was extended.