Alimatu Jalloh
On Friday September 2, Magistrate Mark Ngegba of the Pademba Road Court No. 1 remanded another batch of 55 protesters at the Male and Female Correctional Centres. They had been apprehended by police officers on Wednesday August 10, 2022.
The accused, Bangura, Mohamed Jalloh, Kadiatu Kamara, Osman Junior Kamara, Maseray Bangura, Kadiatu Bangura, Mohamed Kargbo and forty-nine others appeared before the court on various chatges including disorderly behavior, riotous conduct, malicious damage, loitering, carrying offensive weapons and throwing missiles and other related offences.
The Police alleged that the accused persons, on Wednesday August 10, 2022, at various locations within the Freetown Municipality had been found behaving in a riotous and disorderly manner.
The charge sheet furthered that all the accused, on the same date and various place in Freetown, had been found throwing missiles and loitering within Freetown. It was alleged that the accused on the day in question, maliciously damaged K-Step Police Kissy Police station , Congo Water Police station, Approved School Police Station , and Wellington Police Posts and property belonging to the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) force.
When the charges were read the accused pleaded not guilty.
The leading Defence Counsel representing the accused F. R. Conteh, applied for the accused persons to be admitted to bail and also drew the attention of the bench to the fact that the accused persons had been in detention for twenty-three days.
Lawyer Conteh furthered that he did not want the accused to suffer before the verdict is pronounced, adding that some of them are school going pupils.
For the adults, he said their households wholly and solely depend on them for their livelihoods assuring them if they were admitted to bail, they would not interfere with the prosecution witnesses.
Mr. Conteh intimated the court that the accused persons are Sierra Leonean residing in Freetown, and that they have reliable sureties, who were willing and ready to enter into their recognizance. He cited section 79 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 32 of 1965.
In response Magistrate Ngegba denied the accused persons bail and remanded them at the Male and Female Correctional Centres on Pademba Road in Freetown. The matter was adjourned to 7th September, 2022 for the prosecution to open its case.