By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown, Sierra Leone – Valeria Jusu, Engineer Sylvia Jebbeh Rogers, and Salomie Dyfan appeared before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2 on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. They are accused of torturing, beating, and peppering Milicent Coomber. The accused were arraigned on five counts, including conspiracy to commit a crime, wounding with intent, causing grievous bodily harm, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
According to the charge sheet, on November 13, 2024, at ISU Camp, RTI Layout, Kenema town, Nongowa chiefdom in the Kenema district, the accused conspired to commit a crime. The police further alleged that Valeria Jusu and Sylvia Jebbeh Rogers maliciously wounded Milicent Coomber with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The prosecution team includes DSP Sorie Conteh and ASP Wellington, while the defense is led by lawyer James Fornah Sesay, with Claud Campbell, A Maddie, M Kabba, and M. L. O. Thompson as associating counsels.
Milicent Coomber, the first prosecution witness, testified that she is a researcher, and recognized the first accused as the wife of her cousin, Engineer Jusu. She recounted the events of November 13, 2024, when she was attacked by the accused and a man named Osman, who held ground pepper and a needle. Coomber described how the accused used abusive language, beat her, and applied pepper to her face and private parts. She was also filmed during the assault. When asked whether she could identify the said video, she answered in the affirmative.
According to her, it was the chief who called the nearby police who later came to the scene, covered her and took photos of her.
When asked whether she could identify the said photos if seen, the witness said yes. The said photos were shown to the court for identification. The witness in further evidence said she lost consciousness until in the evening she saw herself in the hospital.
Magistrate Bangura adjourned the case to January 9, 2025, for further hearing, and the accused were allowed to go home.