The Acting Chief Security Officer (CSO), Melvin Francis Jackson who doubles as the Human Resource Officer (HR) at Wongor Mining Group on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, testified in the ongoing alleged gold robbery matter.
The accused Amadu Bello Mohamed Tholey, Augustine Korfuma aka Councilor, Boibe Gibnia Conteh, and Daniel Somuta aka One Man Geng are under preliminary investigation before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of the Pademba Road Court No.1 on four counts of conspiracy, robbery with aggravation, assault and carrying offensive weapons without lawful authority, contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
The particulars of the offence on count one states that, the accused on Friday, July 1, 2022, at Wongor Mining International Cooperation Sierra Leone Ltd at Kumoroh Village in Nimikoro Chiefdom, Kono District, the accused conspired with other persons unknown being armed with cutlass and scissors robed a Chinese national Ruiping Chen a black bag containing 4,498.5 of concentrate of gold substance valued at NLe522,500/00, and at the same time or immediately before or immediately after the said robbery, did use personal violence on the said Chen.
It was further alleged that the accused assaulted Chen in a manner thereby occasioning actual bodily harm, while the accused Daniel Samura carried offensive weapons – cutlass and scissors – without lawful authority or reasonable excuses.
The Prosecution Witness No 3 in further evidence disclosed to the Court his duties and responsibilities at the company including supervising the day to day activities of the said company.
He recognized the first accused as security guard, second accused as head of vigilantes, third accused as security guard, as well as the fourth accused.
He recalled that when he was at the mining site between 9am to 10am, he received a call from one his staff. He said, he mobilized his security personnel (RSLAF and OSD) to move to the processing plant of the company, adding upon their arrival, he met some of the workers and some security personnel including the first and third accused.
The PW3 said that one of his staff confirmed to him that some unknown men went into the bush with mineral, adding that he organized a search at the parameters of the mining land, and upon the search, they discovered the fourth accused wearing a face mask and he instructed him to remove the mask, and he identify him as the fourth accused, and he moved him to his office.
According to him, in the presence of the Sub Inspector attached at the site, they interrogated the fourth accused who confirmed that the first accused called them and some of his men held a locally made gun and ran away with the mineral, adding that the fourth accused also confirmed that the first and second accused were also part of the deal.
The witness further informed the court that he took the first accused in the presence of the fourth accused who confirmed that he was the one that called them.
He said that the first accused told him that the third and fourth were part of them, adding that when the search was ongoing, they found bullets at the exit point.
PW3 said the first accused stated that if he was part of the deal, they would go into percentages share, adding that they had gun to execute the said deal.
The PW3 asserted that he called the Mortema Police Post who came to the scene and arrested all the accused.
He said the cutlass, bullets and face mask were handed over to the police as exhibits.
During cross-examination by the Defense Counsel JM Jengo, the witness said that there is road to the said mining site.
He said he was not aware of any security personnel who shot one Daniel Koroma, adding that he was aware of the vigilante group formed by the Chiefdom Stakeholders and the Mining company.
He revealed that the company is own by a Chinese National.
The witness further responded that the place where the search was conducted is a prohibited area because it is within the parameter of the planting process. He averred that the fourth accused was arrested by the plant.
At this stage, Lawyer Jengo renewed his applicable for bail for the accused persons, but his application was rejected and the accused were remanded in prison. The matter comes up again on Friday, August 26, 2022.
By Fatima Kpaka