Magistrate Sahr Kekura has yesterday-Tuesday 5 September 2023 scolded the investigation branch at the Ross Road Police Station, Harbour Division in the East Freetown, for releasing a motorbike from custody to an unknown person who claimed ownership of the said motorbike without documents to substantiate same.
An anonymous source within the court premises informed FORUM that it was the Regional Crime Officer – RCO one Mr. Amara of the above-mentioned division who instructed his juniors to release the motorbike in question even though the individual who claimed ownership didn’t show any authentic document for the property.
Magistrate Kekura described the act as a bad investigation on the part of the investigation branch of Ross Road Police Station, Harbour Division.
The accused, Adekalie Sesay, 22, was arrested on 28 June, 2023 by Detective Sergeant 5515 Kamara M. and appeared before the court on three counts charges of conspiracy, robbery with violence and assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to law.
It was alleged that the accused, on Wednesday 28 June, 2023 at Bai Bureh Road between Liberia and Salone Bars Kissy East of Freetown, conspired with unknown persons to commit a felony to wit, robbery with violence.
The charge sheet furthered that the accused, on the same date and place in Freetown, robbed the complainant, Sheriff Mustapha Vangahun a Samsung Galaxy Galaxy mobile phone, cash of three hundred fifty United States dollars ($350) and other valuables worth twenty-one thousand, one hundred and fifty Leones, adding that at the same time immediately after the robbery used personal violence on the complainant in a manner thereby causing him grievous bodily harm.
Led in evidence formal witness Detective Sergeant 5515 Manseray Kamara attached to the Anti-Robbery Unit, at the Ross Road Police Station, Harbour Division in Freetown told the court that she recognized the accused including the complainant in respect of the matter, and could recall 1 July, 2023.
Sergeant Kamara on the said day, she was on duty at the said unit, when a case and enquiry file from Shell Police Post, in Freetown, was brought for further investigations.
She said the case file contained the complainant’s and witnesses statements, medical endorsed paper, the accused’s voluntary caution statement including the accused respectively.
She said the accused’s voluntary caution statement was produced and tendered in evidence.
She said the matter was assigned to her for further investigations.
On 23 July, 2023, the witness said she Detective Sergeant 8618 Sesay F. obtained an additional voluntary caution statement from the accused in which he admitted it to be true and correct by affixing his right hand thumbprint, witnessed by Detective Sergeant 1618 Sesay F.K.
The accused’s additional voluntary caution statement was also produced and tendered marked exhibits C1-7.
On 8 July, 2023 Sergeant Kamara said in her presence she and Detective Inspector Mohamed Z. Kabba charge the accused with the offences of conspiracy, robbery with violence and assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to law.
The charge statement of the accused was produced and tendered in evidence.
Being that the accused was not legally represented, Magistrate Kekura granted the accused to cross examine witness on his behalf.
Responding, he, the accused told the court that he had no questions for the witness.
The police prosecutor Sergeant 9874 Turay M. M. intimated the bench that she had closed her case for the prosecution.
Magistrate Kekura promised to peruse the evidence adduced before him if the accused didn’t have any case to answer, he would discharge him pursuant to section 94 of the Criminal Procedure Act No.3# of 1965.
The accused was refused bail and remanded at the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road in Freetown.
The matter comes up again on 12 September, 2023 for further hearing.
