By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown, Sierra Leone – On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, 50-year-old Alie Jaffal was committed to the High Court for trial by Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2, following preliminary investigations into charges of unlawful possession of a firearm. Jaffal is accused of possessing a Makarov pistol without a license at the Young Sports Club (YSC) facility in Freetown on April 6, 2024.
Jaffal faces six charges, including possession of arms without a license, unlawful concealment of arms, and carrying an offensive weapon in a public place. The court heard that Jaffal was found with the unlicensed Makarov pistol and six 9x19mm caliber rounds of ammunition. During the preliminary hearing, five witnesses were called by the prosecution, and the defense filed a no-case submission, arguing that the evidence was insufficient for a trial.
Magistrate Bangura, in delivering his ruling, rejected the defense’s no-case submission, stating that the prosecution had presented sufficient prima facie evidence to justify a trial. He emphasized that while the prosecution did not need to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt at this stage, they had presented enough evidence to connect the accused with the offense. Notably, video footage and testimony from police and ballistic experts linked Jaffal to the firearm.
Ballistic expert Detective Chief Inspector Kadiatu Nyakoi testified that the pistol, when fully loaded, had the potential to cause significant harm, depending on the distance from which it was fired. Chief Superintendent Mohamed Turay, from the Lumley Police Division, also testified that Jaffal was seen holding the weapon at the scene.
In response to the defense’s claim of inconsistencies in the prosecution’s evidence, Magistrate Bangura noted that not all inconsistencies are sufficient to dismiss a case. He concluded that there was enough credible evidence to proceed with a trial.
Jaffal was granted bail in the sum of two hundred thousand Leones, with three sureties, one of whom must be a property owner. The case will now move to the High Court for trial, where Jaffal will have to defend the charges against him.