Hon Justice Adrian Fisher of the High Court No.1 last Friday 17 March 2023 sentenced a popular Sierra Leonean rapper, Alhaji Amadu Bah aka LAJ to nine years imprisonment after he was found guilty on four counts charges of robbery and inflicting grievous bodily harm and ordered him to pay a total sum of Forty Million Leones (Le40,000,000) compensation to the victims and the state.In a jammed parked court room with emotions intensified over the outcome of the judgement, fans, family members and a cross section of artists were full of hopes for a positive outcome of the delayed high profiled celebrity trial.
State Prosecutor Yusuf Isaac Sesay Esq in the last adjournment date was ordered to present antecedent of the convict if there was any to which he did.
He said the convict has a matter before Magistrate Mark Ngegba with details of it are assault on police, disorderly behaviour, and riotous conduct and the date of these occurrences of events was 17 July 2021.
He alleged that the convict was also arrested for robbery, wounding and inflicting grievous bodily harm, adding that investigations emanated the charges of which he was on trial for, no Antecedent as to convictions.
Lawyer Sesay in his oral submission on sentencing said the accused person is liable by law on count 1, 2, and 3 to penal servitude not less than 15 years.
In the words of the State Prosecutor the convict is an icon and people who are icon should be of good example to society, that the bar is raised giver for them and there are certain situations you exercise restraints.
He said the pump attendants left their homes to earn an honest living but got robbed by a musical icon.
For the offence of robbery Sesay asked for ten years on each count, saying that the sentencing will send a message to society that irrespective of your status, or background that no one is above the law.
He said in the presence of the musical icon, insulting words were rained on the pump attendant who is a woman and he did nothing to halt or stop his goons from using such words, he described the act as ‘lawlessness’ and ‘violence’ perpetrated on two women and that as an icon his role is to protect women.
Lawyer Sesay also asked for four years on count four, inflicting grievous bodily harm on innocent citizens especially when approaching violence, that you cannot use your guts to settle scores being an icon.
The convict in his plea mitigation thanked the judge, state prosecutor and his legal team. He said when the judge convicted him on Monday 13 March 2023, he realized his wrongdoing to which he accepted his mistakes and showed respects for the judgement of Justice Fisher with believes in the judiciary.
Alhaji Amadu Bah apologized to the victims, the management of LEONCO fuel station, to the entire nation and the judge for the bad publicity he said this matter may have brought upon them.
“I am not a thief, I am a cheerful giver, I stand before you as a young man who has made a mistake and learnt of it therefore and promise to be a better person”. “I have performed on many stages, but this has been the worst stage to ever stand on and has been the longest nine months of my life”, he said.
According to the rapper he has used his craft (music) brought peace amongst youths, helped his colleague artists, saved lives and used it to help propagate a message during the COVID-19 pandemic period, to which he made a soundtrack together with President Julius Maada Bio and the First Lady of the Republic admired him so much and know fully well that he is not a bad person.
“Am not just a celebrity but a human being and I take full responsibility for my actions, I have been a good person but with the wrong company, I am a regular human being that have being friend with the wrong people and I ask for mercy to make amends for my actions,” he pleaded.
The rapper further pleaded for mercy from the judge as he said he promised if given the opportunity he will become an ambassador of peace, and a better role model focusing on his craft, that the mistake should not cease his future. Bah said he is aware that his mistake has caused him so much and the innocent family members and friends around him that were involved in this mess and tendered an apology to them.
He concluded that when investigations started on the ongoing matter at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), he opted to pay for the missing money that the pump attendant claimed got missing, he also claimed that he was unaware that the driver did not pay for the fuel and also opted to pay for it, for the matter to be settled out of public interest.
The convict broke down in tears apologizing to his fans, family members and the nation at large.
Hon Justice Fisher in his sentencing remarks said to the convict that the ones who follows him are the ones who placed him in the present situation he is facing.
The judge said the convict and his associates were on board an unregistered vehicle and he alone attacked four persons describing the act as ‘thuggery’ and ‘lawless’.
Hon Justice Fisher sentenced the convict to nine years imprisonment. On count 1, 2 and 3 the convict was sentenced to nine years and on count four he was sentenced to three years and six months for sentences to run concurrently, that the convict shall pay compensations to the victims and to the state and ordered that the properties of the victims to be returned.
Outside of the court room fans, family members of the convict collapsed after the sentenced was passed on him and were quickly rushed to seek urgent medical attention.
