By Janet Sesay
Magistrate Hannah Bonnie of the Freetown Magistrate Court No.1 yesterday remanded Charles Kallon at the Correctional Centre for unlawfully killing Bintu Jalloh and Abass Kamara with a vehicle at Waterloo.
The accused is before the court with two different files. In the first file he is charged with a count of manslaughter, which is contrary to law.
The court details state that the accused, on 2nd November, 2018 at the Waterloo Highway, Rogbangba Junction in Freetown, being in control of a vehicle with registration number AHB 925, unlawfully killed Bintu Jalloh and Abass Kamara.
In the second file, he was arraigned on four counts, ranging from dangerous driving and careless driving in an inconsiderate manner, which is equally contrary to section 99 (1) (b) of the Road Traffic Act No. 5 of 2007.
The charged sheet furthered that the accused, on the 2nd November 2018 at Waterloo Highway, Rogbangba Junction in Freetown, being in control of a vehicle truck, drove in a dangerous manner in the road. Also, being a driver in control of a vehicle truck without due consideration, he hit a car with registration number AIM 637 thereby causing it to be damaged. The said vehicle belongs to Benjamin Tommy Jones.
The accused pleaded guilty to the charges read on the second file, but took no plea on the first file of manslaughter.
The defense counsel, M.Y. Kanu, made a plea of mitigation on behalf of his client. He pleaded with the Magistrate not to impose a custodian sentence on the accused, since he has pleaded guilty and has not wasted the precious time of the court. He said the accused is a family man and he has never been in conflict with the law.
Magistrate Hannah Bonnie stated that she will sentence the accused on the next adjourned date on the second file. She told the prosecutor, Inspector Isatu Barba Musa, to come with her witnesses on the next adjourned date for the first file. The matter was adjourned to the 27th February 2019.