By Musa Paul Feika
Sorie Bangura has made his first appearance before Magistrate Alhaji Suliaman Koroma, of the Ross Road Magistrate Court No. 1, for allegedly wounding the complainant, Mary Alpha Kamara, who also doubles as a tenant to his father, with intent on Wednesday 2nd September, this year in Freetown.
The police prosecution witness, Mary Alpha Kamara, said she recognized the accused as her landlord`s son, and could recall Wednesday 2nd September, 2020.
According to her, on that fateful day, she was at home while eating with her daughter, Binty, when the accused came at her apartment, adding that the accused had used abusive language by calling her a bastard.
This witness said she advised the accused to stop calling her bastard, and, according to her, the accused became annoyed, rushed at her and slapped her on her jaw. She fell down on the ground screaming for help.
Mrs. Kamara said, notwithstanding, the accused went ahead and stabbed her on her right arm with a broken bottle and blood was oozing out from her wounds.
The witness added that, when noticed that the accused had stabbed her on her right arm, she scolded him till her neighbours rushed at the crime scene before she released him.
She concluded her evidence noting that she reported the matter at the Regional Ross Road Police Division, in Freetown, where she was issued with a police medical request form for treatment at the Rokupa Government Hospital Wellington, in Freetown.
She detailed the court that, upon returning with medical paper to the aforementioned Division, which was produced and tendered in court as exhibit, herself and a team of police officers visited the alleged crime scene in Freetown, and photographs were taken by the Scene of Crime Officer (SOCSO).
The accused is arraigned before the court on three counts of wounding with intent, wounding and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, which are offences contrary to the Offences against the Persons Act of 1861.
The police charge adduces that Sorie Bangura, on Wednesday 2nd September, 2020, in Freetown wounded and assaulted the complainant, Mary Alpha Kamara, in a manner thereby causing her grievous bodily harm.
The accused was unrepresented and he conducted the cross examination for and on his behalf. The accused was denied bail and sent on remand at the Male Correctional Centre, Pademba Road in Freetown. The matter will come up again on the 30th September, 2020.