April 8, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
SIERRATEL Network Operator Supervisor, Sheriff Murray Conteh was in court as Prosecution Witness (PW 2) to testify in a matter where Chief Christopher Gombo and others (accused persons) have been allegedly taken to court for land grabbing. Chief Christopher Gombo and two others were arraigned in Court before Magistrate Mark Ngegba on the 7th April, 2021 at the Pademba Road Court in Freetown.
The accused persons are alleged to have grabbed a land contrary to Laws of Sierra Leone. According to the summon letter, the accused persons were summoned for land grabbing on 22nd February, 2020.
Testifying in court, PW2 Sheriff Murray Conteh said he knew the complainant Mohamed Kamara, and said he does not have any relationship with the accused persons. The witness said he was on his way home, when he saw the complainant heading to his land at Marimbo Kaningo Lumley. He said he accompanied him, and on their way closer to the land they saw some unknown people brushing the said land. He said the complainant interrogated them asking “who sent you to brush this land, and they replied that it was Chief Gombo that sent them.
“ One of the brusher decided to called chief Gombo and put the call on speaker and chief Gombo said he is the one who sent them to brush, witness narrated.”
The witness revealed that chief Gombo instructed one Alpha Tiger to meet them on the said land, and upon his arrival Alpha Tiger instructed the men to carry on with their brushing. The witness said he identified some column running through the four corners of the land as baking and a foundation. He said he advised the complainant to seek redress in court.
During cross examination he said chief Gombo was not present at the said land on that date. The witness ended by saying the men who were brushing the said land were not in court.
A.B Conteh Esq. is representing the state, while C. Campbell and I. Macfoy is representing all three accused persons.
The matter has been adjourned to 22nd April, 2021, while the accused persons are on bail.
