By Henry Kargbo
Accused Alhaji Amadu Bah LAJ on Monday 17th October 2022, collapsed at High Court No 1 during proceeding of an alleged robbery at LEOCO gas station against him.The accused LAJ shed tears and said ‘he will die in prison if he is not given an urgent medical attention. LAJ is court before Hon Justice Adrian Fisher of the High Court No.1 on four counts charge of rubbery with violence and assault.
According to Police, the accused on Sunday 12th June 2022 at LEOCO gas station with intent to robbed, stole the sum of Le 4,200,000 and assaulted a pump attendant at Main Motor Road, Congo Cross in Freetown. In his on Monday 17th October fuel attendant, Ishmael Kamara of LEOCO gas station said he knew Frances Wilson, Christiana Koroma and Musa Mansaray as co-workers of the gas station. The witness also recognized the musician and recalled that on 12th June 2022 at Water Street Congo Cross in Freetown at LEOCO gas station. He recalled that on Sunday 12th June 2022, whereas on duty with his colleagues they sport a black jeep at Frances’s machine pump two machine. He added that inside that jeep, he saw the driver of the jeep and the accused LAJ, while Buju sat in the back with other unknown men.
Ishmael said that at the back of the jeep Buju asked Francess why she is seating like so during working hour, adding that at that time the driver disembarked from the jeep and said he want Five Hundred Thousand old Leone, the fuel sum up to 27 litters or above, the witness.
He said Francess told the driver to park the jeep in a good order and open the jeep fuel tank to pump and the driver told him to wait while he want to speak to LAJ, adding that he couldn’t here what they said. He added that the driver came and order Francess to pump. While pumping Buju alter a word that Francess is a prostitute that he did not why they employed her to work at the gas station.
He told the court that while Francess was pumping the fuel the driver alter another word that: “Timberland boot you go kill am ooh” and called LAJ to interpret the song.
The witness told the court that, LAJ came down from the jeep where Francess was pumping the fuel and the driver said to Francess; “Fuck off pull the fuel pump from the car tank we are not going to pay again”.
He explained that the colleague Musa Mansaray came and told LAJ and his crew that this is not the way to treat a female fuel pump attendance. At the point LAJ pushed and hit Francess, adding that Musa told LAJ that since the incident happens in the beginning the Rapper LAJ did not say anything.
Ishmael said LAJ also pushed Musa while the driver tried to take the bag contained sales monies. He said Frnacess tried to film with her phone and LAJ rushed tried to take the phone while Christiana, a coworker struggled to put the phone in to the sales bag and LAJ rushed at the witness and hold her at her throat trying to take the phone from the lady.
“At that time I was exhausted so I let go off the bag with them and the accused LAJ open the bag and take the phone with Le 4,200.000M and left the bag and with a remark, saying that they will come back and burnet down the gas station”, explained the witness.
The witness said at that time Musa coworker had gone to report the matter at the Congo Cross Police Station. They returned with some police officers and criminal gangs had left, but they trace the jeep and blocked them and the police order them to get down their jeep but they refused.
He said they later brought the accused at the Congo Cross Police station and obtained statements from them. Christiana was later called to identify her phone, which she did adding that a medical report was issues to her and others assaulted.
The witness was cross examined by lawyer M. Sesay. Hon Justice A. Fisher adjoined the matter to Friday 21st October 2022, and order that the accused should have medical treatment.
