By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
High Court judge, Justice Adrian Fisher has today, 23 February 2023 ruled against the no-case submission argument put forward by defense lawyers of the main opposition, All Peoples Congress’s (APC) flagbearer, Samura Kamara and others.
According to the court, he has a case to answer. He asked Dr. Samura Kamara and others to put up a defence to the charges of alleged corruption charges to which they are being tried, for the construction of the Sierra Leone Chancery Building in New York.
Kamara together with five others are standing trial in court for various alleged corruption charges.
Justice Adrian Fisher during his ruling said the first accused person Saidu Nyallo is charged with 30 counts offenses of which failure to comply with procurement procedures, misappropriation of public funds, conspiracy to commit a corruption offense, Abuse of office and more.
He said the prosecution called 18 witnesses to prove its case against the accused persons.
Justice Adrian Fisher informed the court that in respect of count 16 against the first accused person Saidu Nyallo in his written no case submission address to the judge said the first accused Saidu Nyallo did not award any contract to fair field construction company that count 16 of the offense ought to be dismissed.
He went on that the second accused is also charged with various corruption charges.
That the second accused person did not participate in the awarding of contracts neither was he a member of neither the procurement committee nor its unit. That he would not have signed the contract as a political head.
Justice Adrian Fisher instructed the accused persons to be put to an election and for legal advice on it by their defense counsel to which defense counsels sought for an adjournment in preparedness of their client for the election of their defense.
Justice Adrian Fisher ordered for a stand down to which defense counsels prepped their clients on their election defense.
In ruling of the adjournment sought, all accused persons chose their elections of defense to which they chose to testify and call witnesses.
Justice Adrian Fisher ruled that the locus visit to the New York Chancery building is to start on the 1st-8th March 2023.
Justice Adrian Fisher overruled on all accused persons no case submission
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) alleged that the APC presidential candidate misled the principal and misappropriated public funds meant for the renovation of Sierra Leone’s Chancery Building in New York when he was Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, five years ago.
The former Minister had long denied the allegations and claimed that the case was politically motivated to tarnish the good image and reputation he has nurtured over the years.
The matter has been adjourned to the 17th March for counsels to start their defense.