State Counsel Adrian Fisher Esq. has on Thursday June 25, 2020, successfully applied for an amendment of names of some accused persons that are being preliminarily investigated in Court No.1 on offences of malicious damage and several others.
The accused persons Mohamed Kanu, Alhaji Musa Bangura, Fonti Sankoh, Ishmail Mansaray, Chief Alfred Kamara and others are answering to charges of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, malicious damage, murder, larceny, arson and other related charges.
It is alleged that between 1st April and 30th April, 2020 at Lunsar Town in the Port Loko judicial district conspired to murder Alie Kabia, and also maliciously destroyed property worth millions of Leones.
Adrian Fisher Esq. in his application stated that two other persons accused to have been involved in the crime were later arrested by police officers on warrant on the night of Wednesday June 24, 2020.
He stated that the name of the third accused had been answered to by a different accused person, and therefore applied for that inexactitude to be amendment on the indictment pursuant to section 105 of the Criminal Procedure Act No.32 of 1965.
He further applied for the deletion of the words alias two “Bible one Quran” after the name Anthony Fofanah and for the insertion of the names Jeremiah Solomon, Alusine Sesay and Anthony Conteh aka “two Bible one Quran” after the name of the 29th accused, Saidu Fornah, in respect of count one to thirteen.
Fisher said the application for the amendments is not to occasion injustice for the accused persons, but for the matter to continue in the interest of Justice.
He disclosed that on the next adjourned date, the prosecution would proceed with the prosecution of the matter, adding that he had three witnesses in court then, but would not proceed with the matter because he had another matter at the High Court.
Defense counsel M. Korie Esq. was not averse to the amendments being made considering the fact that there was no evidence before the court. He pleaded with the prosecution to put their house in order and expedite their case on the next date when the matter comes up.
He said majority of the accused persons have been detained for over two months and they need speedy hearings.
However, Magistrate Hannah Bonnie allowed for the amendment to be made. The matter was adjourned to Wednesday July 1, 2020.
By Isabella Cassell
30/6/2020. ISSUE NO.: 7855