By Mamajah Jalloh
Freetown, Sierra Leone, Mohamed Sesay on Monday, 4th November, 2024, made his first appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.1 on three count charges, Threatened to Murder Contrary to section 14 of the Offense Against the Person Act 1861, Threatened to Burn a House Contrary to section 50 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861, Insulting Conduct Contrary to section 3(1) of the Public Order Act No. 46 of 1965.
On count one, the charged sheet stated that the accused person, Mohamed Sesay, on Friday 27th September 2024, about 20:00 hours at Freeman Drive, IMATT, Freetown, threatened to murder Kadiatu Mansaray.
Count two stated that, the accused person, on the same place and date, threatened to burn the house of Kadiatu Mansaray.
Count three further stated that on the same place and date, the accused person, did use disparaging words against Kadiatu Mansaray with intent to provoke her to commit a breach of the peace.
When the charges were read and explained to the accused person, no plea taken.
Progressing with the prosecution, Inspector Sellu TAP led in prosecuting witness Kadiatu Mansaray, unemployed woman to testify in court.
She did recognize the accused person at the dock who happened to be her son.
She did recall on the 27 September 2024, something happened between herself and the accused person.
On that day, at home, the witness said that the accused person threatened to kill her. She went on to say that the accused person insulted her personality by using all sought of disparaging words against her. Furthermore, she said that the accused person vowed to put her house on fire.
Expressing her dissatisfaction, she said that she felt shame in the midst of right thinking members of the society.
She further testified that the accused person said that he would ensure that she would perish and die miserably.
Staggering with the testimony, the bench requested for adjourned date to be given, advising the police prosecutor to have proper conference with the witness.
Before the adjourned date, the defence counsel applied for bail for and on behalf of the accused person, stating that the offense for which the accused person appeared before the court is a bailable offense, and that the prosecution has not produced any affidavit to the defence stating their opposition to the said bail application. Adding to the bail application, he said that the accused person is a family man. And above all he would ensure that the matter would be settled outside court, given the fact that the accused person is the son of the witness.
He made the application pursuant to section 79(3) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1965.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Kekura refused bail to the accused person, on the grounds that he would interfere with the prosecution witness because they stay at the same abode.
However, the matter was adjourned to the 6th of November, 2024, for further hearing,
