.
September 22, 2021
By: Francis F.M. Harding
The September, 2021 Criminal Session Call-Over was presided over by Honorable Justice Alusine Sesay JSC. The Session contained ninety-six (96) cases ranging from conspiracy, wounding with intent, larceny, murder, sexual penetration, fraudulent conversion, burglary, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, manslaughter, robbery with violence, embezzlement by servant, forgery and obtaining property by false pretense.
Conspiracy cases dominated the calendar with thirty (30) cases. Presiding over the Criminal Session Call-Over, Honorable Justice Alusine Sesay, said bail is granted to ensure that the accused person(s) appear for trial whenever needed by the court, stating that persons have been spent to the prison more for than eight months without bail; a situation he said affects the presumption of innocence before proven guilty.
In one of the call-over matters a case between the State versus Pa Sorie Sesay and Abdulai Kamara was mentioned. It was alleged that on the 11th November, 2020 at Waterloo in the Western Area of the Republic of Sierra Leone brook and entered into the store of Fatmata Fofanah and stole therein, one mental steel door valued one million two hundred thousand Leones (Le1,200,000/00) property of the said Fatmata Fofanah. Both accused persons pleaded guilty. After the registrar had read the charges to both accused persons both are before the court on one count charge of store breaking and larceny contrary to section 26(10 of the larceny Act 1916.
In his submission the Counsel representing the state J.A.K Sesay said the both accused persons pleaded guilty and the judge must take into account the crime committed. While counsel for the defense, lawyer M. Karime made plea mitigation for both accused persons as they have not wasted the court time. Pa Sorie Sesay 41 yrs-old accused with two children and Abdulai Kamara 22 years have spent nine months in the Pademba road correctional centre.
In his judgment, Justice Alusine Sesay said both accused persons should return the stolen metal door to the owner, Fatmata Fofanah. He sentenced both accused persons to five years imprisonment with the time spent while in custody.
Justice Sesay also informed the jurors that the court will be having meeting with all jurors for the September, 2021 session, as it has come to the court notice that the issues of juror absenting themselves from proceedings has had negative effect to progress of court matter. He expressed optimism that this September, 2021 session will have more jurors that the previous years as their role are to assist the court to make judgment.
Breakdowns of the ninety-six (96) cases ten (10) were women and the 86 are men. However, Honorable Justice Alusine Sesay JSC allocated to different judges.
Representing the State was Lawyers JAK. Sesay, O.V. Robin-Mason, J.S. Tucker, A.T. Rogers, B.T. Jalloh, S.C. Kekura, P.M. Sesay, A.F. Kamara, P. Hasting Spain, D. Sawyer, and I.A. Kamara I.S. Edwards, representing Legal Aid were Cecelia Tucker, M. Karimu, I. Bangura, and C. Taylor Young.