Lead defense counsel, Lawyer Lansana Dumbuya, on Wednesday July 15, 2020, further cross-examined Paramount Chief (PC) Koblo Queen II, the first prosecution witness, in a matter in which 31 persons mostly his subjects are being investigated for 14 count charges including conspiracy to commit murder, malicious damage, riotous conduct and throwing missiles, among others.
The thirty-one accused persons were arraigned before Magistrate Hannah Bonnie at the Freetown Magistrate Court No. 1 on Pademba Road in Freetown, after police alleged that they murdered the nephew of PC Koblo Queen, and destroyed his property valued at over Le1 billion.
Lawyer Lansana Dumbuya, who is representing the fourteenth accused person, Honorable Karankay Conteh, argued that his client was not present at the scene of crime but showed up later with the Local Unit Commander of Port Loko District, adding that it was the PC himself who had called on Conteh to help him at his resident on the day of the alleged incident, but because his client had failed to show up, that was why he had issues with him.
As he had earlier stated, during his testimony-in-chief, Paramount Chief Koblo Queen II maintained that the 14th accused was part of a group of persons that had attacked his residence and destroyed property there.
Lawyer Dumbuya argued to the Court that there is bad blood between the Paramount Chief and his client, Honorable Karankay Conteh, since he was a Member of Parliament and after that the PC has falsely accused Karankay severally of crimes.
He claimed that the Paramount Chief had caused his arrest in the past for riotous conduct, and he was locked up, only to be cleared of the crime and released later.
PC conceded that there had been bad blood between him and Honorable Karankay Conteh because he has always been a lead protester in Lunsar Town. He disclosed that the 14th accused person in the past had led a group of protesters who shut down a power plant belonging to London Mining, valued over US$200 million.
Three more witnesses were present in the court but could not testify because the lawyers representing the other accused persons were absent. Magistrate Hannah Bonnie adjourned the matter to July 22, 2020 at 1:00pm.
By Isabella Cassell
17/07/2020. ISSUE NO: 7868