Prosecution Witness Two – PW 2, Ibrahim Sesay of No.35C Maxwell, Hastings in the Western Rural District, an Evidence-In-Chief before Magistrate Sahr Kekura has informed the court that the accused, Abu Sankoh alias Delta and Suliaman P. Bangura and his men violently attacked him and his brother and assaulted them leaving his brother with a fractured leg.
He disclosed that the incident occurred on Saturday 26 November 2022 between Hastings and New York in the Western Rural District. In continuation of his testimony the witness said he knew the complainant, Abdul Salam Sesay as his elder brother who is the PW1. He said he recognised the accused as his neighbours and recalled Saturday 26 November 2022.
The witness said on the day in question, he and his elder brother, went to their piece of land located between Pump Line and New York in the bush. Sesay said while they were in the piece of land, he saw the second accused with some boys headed by the first accused Abu Sankoh who rushed at them and started assaulting them.
“The accused and their men were well armed with machetes and assaulted me I felt a heavy pain over my body. When I turned around, I saw my brother bleeding profusely,” he explained. He added that the first complainant was screaming and saying that the first accused had chopped him. To make it worse, he said one of the accused’s men Isaa funnily called American, hit his brother’s foot with a stone leaving him helpless with a fracture leg.
PW2 said the accused and his gangs fled the crime scene, but they were chased by some boys and subsequently, the second accused was captured and taken to the Hastings Police Station, where he was issued with a police medical request form for treatment at the Rokupa Government Hospital in Wellington Freetown, East of Freetown. The endorsed medical paper was produced and tendered for identification. The witness concluded his evidence that he made a statement at the said Police Station in Hastings.
During cross examination by defence counsel Alie Santos Sesay put it to the witness that he would agree with him that there was quarrel between them and the accused to, which he responded in the affirmative. Lawyer Sesay suggested to the witness that it was on the land question, brought conflict between them and accused. Responding, the witness answered in the negative. He further put it to the witness that he and the first complainant on the day in question, went to the said land with some boys, but he answered in the negative. The lawyer asked the witness if he can tell the number of boys allegedly the second accused was leading.
Responding, he said he can’t tell. He confronted the witness that in his evidence chief, he told the court that he made a statement to the police to, which he responded in the affirmative.
At this juncture lawyer Sesay applied for the second complainant’s statement he made to the police to be produced and tendered pursuant to section 190 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act No 32 of 1965, which was granted. The accused arraigned before the court for the offences of wounding with intent, wounding and assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to law.
It was alleged that the accused, on the same date and place on the outskirts of Freetown, wounded and assaulted the Abdul Salam Sesay in a manner thereby causing him seriously bodily harm. The charge sheet furthered that the accused on the same date and address in Hastings assaulted Ibrahim Sesay in a manner thereby causing him grievous bodily harm. The accused are still on bail and the matter was adjourned to 22nd August 2023.
