By Alimatu Jalloh
Three adult males John Bangura, 41 a commercial motorcyclist, 28-year-old Samuel Koroma a Labourer and 30-year-old Hassan Kamara a Labourer have been brought before Magistrate Mark Ngegba to answer for the crime of Robbery with Aggravation in respect of attacks on three victims- Julian Awoonor-Renner the first victim was attacked between the 6th to the 16th of May 2023 at 7A Signal Hill Road, the second Ndye Njie at No 23 D Lightfoot Boston Street on Sunday 7th May 2023 and the third Justice Alfred Tommy Ganda on the 19th May 2023 at Kabba drive, Masimbo, Regent. The three accused persons according to the particulars stated in the offences in all three case files had armed themselves with a shot-gun and machetes.
From Awoonor-Renner the accused persons stole one Sony A7M3 camera, two IPhone 14 Pro-max, one air pod max, and other items plus cash of five hundred US$500 all to the total value of NLe 208,260.00.
From Njie they stole one Salvatore wrist watch, one silver necklace with diamond locket and other assorted items with a physical cash of US$ 1,000 all to the total value of NLe 218,000.
From Ganda the accused persons stole one black Del laptop computer, one black Toshiba Laptop computer, two Hp Laptop computers and other items with a physical cash of NLe 14,000 all to the total value NLe 74,700.
The 4th , 5th , 6th and 7th accused persons Twenty-Six year old Alie Sesay a Footballer, thirty-five years old Yusif Kanu a business man, twenty-seven years old Abubakar Sidique a business man and thirty-two year old Mohamed Suma a business man also made their first appearance alongside the 1st 2nd and 3rd accused before Magistrate Mark Ngegba in the same cases on three different files were charged because they had bought at King Jimmy, Wallace Johnson Street Freetown some of the items which the accused persons had stolen in the course of their armed attacks on the three victims mentioned above. When the charges had been read and explained to the accused persons no plea was taken as the court was merely making a preliminary investigation which is aimed at assessing whether there is sufficient evidence against the accused persons for the charges against them to be put to trial.
The prosecutor, Inspector Kadie M. Taylor asked for the matter to be adjourned because the prosecution witnesses were absent from court.
Counsel representing the accused persons J. Mans was about to apply for bail on behalf of his client, but Magistrate Mark Ngegba interjected and discountenanced defense counsel Mans’ attempt on the basis of the seriousness of the alleged offences.
Magistrate Mark Ngegba sent all accused persons to the male correctional center in Freetown and adjourned the matter to the 10th July 2023 for further hearing.