Sierra Leone: Picture of Former President tendered as evidence in Blyden’s Case

Detective Sergeant 1516, Conteh Abu, attached to the crime writers/exhibit office, C.I.D Headquarters on Pademba Road, has on Tuesday June 30, 2020, presented exhibits including portrait of the Former President of Sierra Leone Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, in a matter in which Dr. Sylvia O. Blyden and Hussein Mukson Sesay, are currently being investigated on charges of seditious libel and other related offences.

The exhibits include Five laptop computers of different models in three different bags with chargers, one old red iPad, eight mobile phones, five of which had different mobile SIM cards  and three without, two small computer chargers, a black old Fuji camera in a small black bag, two red card readers, one with 4GB memory card, a photo of former Head of States Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma and six copies of a press release document captioned “Children’s Forum Network National Annual General Meeting dated 24th December, 2016.”

According to the witness, his prime duty as an Exhibit Clerk at CID Headquarters is to ensure the safekeeping of all exhibits brought to the office in respect of cases reported and investigated and to produce them in court when needed.

He said on May 22, 2020, while he was on duty at the CID Headquarters, Detective Police Constable 9718 Kamara Z.I. attached to the Economic Financial Fraud Unit handed over to him exhibits in respect of the matter.

Conteh said as is his duty he took possession of them, registered them in the court exhibit book as against serial number 62/2020.

The matter was adjourned to the 14th of July 2020.

By Isabella Cassell

1/7/2020. ISSUE NO.:7855