Lawyer defending one Abu Bakar Kamara an accused person who was alleged to have for being in possession of Kush, A. B. Kamara has cunningly trapped the arresting officer in cross examination, making his client relief on the allegation levied against him.
The police witness who earlier in a question put to him by defence counsel, stated that the search warrant was signed at the crime scene after receiving pressure told the court that the warrant was signed when they return to the station.
Abu Bakar Kamara was arraigned before the court, after police investigation for preliminary hearing for unlawful possession of Kush contrary to Section 8 of the National Drugs Control Act of 2008.
The police alleged that on the 3rd of May 2023, the accused was caught at the back of Allen Town cemetery in possession of four hundred and fifty-seven wraps of kush weighed 44.5 grams without lawful authority.
Taking the oath and led in his examination in chief by Sub Inspector Isatu Bangura, the arresting officer, Sub Inspector Sulaiman Kamara attached at the Operation Unit, Kissy Police Division, said on the 3rd May 2023, he was at the station when they got an information about a group of people at the Allen Town cemetery.
He said his boss superintendent J S Koroma on board SLP 098 and went to Allen Town cemetery and on arrival they met a group people at the back of the cemetery and when they saw them, some fled but they are able to arrest the accused Abu Bakar Kamara aka ice in possession with four hundred and fifty-eight wraps substant suspected to be Kush, fourteen packets of rezla, fiscal cash of Nine Hundred and Eighty-Five New Leones.
He said they arrested him and return to kissy Divisional headquarters where he wrote the report and handed over the exhibit and the accused to the Investigation Department for further investigations. The report was produced and tendered as exhibit A.
Cross examined by defence counsel A. B. Kamara, the witness said the accused was arrested on the 3rd May 2023.
He confirmed that the accused was arrested at the back of Allen Town cemetery.
Confronting him about the address of the accused, the witness said he did not ask about that because at that time it was not important.
The witness in another question put to him responded that he was part of the team that went on that operation and after the search the warrant was signed at the crime scene.
In conclusion of cross examination, the second defence counsel A. Ndoinje applied for bail for and on behalf of the accused.
Among other things, he said his client is a Sierra Leonean ordinary resident in Freetown. Defense counsel further submitted that if granted bail his client will not jump neither interfere with the prosecution. He made his application citing section 79 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act No.32 of 1965.
Upon heating the application of bail and taking in consideration the absent of the affidavit in support Magistrate Sahr Kekura granted the accused bail in the sum of Two Hundred Thousand New Leones with a surety in like sum. He said the bail should be approved by the Deputy Acting Registrar and adjourned the matter to the 7th of June2023 for further hearing.
