High Court Judge presiding over cases in the ongoing Judicial Week, Honourable Justice Manuela Harding has discharged 19-year-old labourer, Mohamed Sow and Mamoud Mansaray for want of prosecution.
Sow was before the court on a count indictment of robbery with aggravation contrary to Section 23 (1) (a) of the Larceny Act of 1916 as repealed and replaced by section 2 of the Act No. 16 of 1971.
It was alleged that the accused on Saturday, November 27,2021 at Jui Junction, Waterloo highway in the Waterloo Judicial District, being armed with bottle, robbed one Alhaji Kargbo.
29-year-old Electrician, Mamoud Mansaray was also discharged of one count indictment of Fraudulent Conversion contrary to section 20 (1) (IV) (a) of the Larceny Act of 1916 for want of prosecution.
It is alleged that the accused Mansaray in September 2021 at Goderich in Freetown fraudulently converted to his own use or benefit certain property, including one TVS Motor Tricycle, one Motor Tricycle Battery and other items all valued at Le 4,100,000.
Justice Harding also admitted motorcyclist MohamedLamin Conteh which was accused of fraudulent conversion; marketer Ibrahim Tarawally who was accused of larceny; and Osman Bah who was fraudulent conversion to bail.
The decision was reached after the application for bail made by Defence Lawyer, Lamin J. Kamara from Legal Aid Board, on behalf of the accused persons wasn’t objected to by State Prosecutor, Robin Mason Jr.
In another related development, Supreme Court Judge who’s presiding over cases at the Waterloo Magistrate’s Court in the ongoing Judicial Week, Honourable Justice Alusine Sesay (JSC) has reviewed 15 rulings delivered by various Magistrates in the Western Area of Freetown against accused persons, convicts and inmates.
The cases are part of a total of one thousand and thirteen (1,013) assigned to 26 judges across the country for review for which inmates had been incarcerated awaiting trial without indictments, those on prolonged adjournments due to lack of empaneled jurors, those who’ve been admitted to bail but are unable to fulfil their bail conditions to secure their release and those serving unjustifiable and disproportionate sentences from Magistrates.
This move is part of the Honourable Chief Justice’s continued commitment to make justice more accessible in a transparent and accountable manner.
By Alimatu Jalloh