By Janet A. Sesay
Musa Kamara, a footballer, made another appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2 in Freetown on allegation of robbing Moinia Kallon of assorted properties valued over Two Hundred Thousand New Leones.
The accused Musa Kamara is before the court on three count charges of conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to law, robbery with aggravation contrary to Section 23 (1) (a) of the Larceny Act 1916 as repealed and replaced by Section 1 of the Death Penalty Act 2021 Act No.6 of 2022 and assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to Section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.
Police allege that the accused, on Sunday, 7th July 2024 at Waterloo, Western Rural Area in Freetown, conspired together with other persons unknown to commit a felony to wit robbery with aggravation.
Police further alleged that the accuse being armed with machetes, robbed Moinia Kallon One LG Home Theater, One Dell Computer, Two Silver chain necklaces, One black backpack bag and other assorted items equivalent to Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred New Leones(NLE 230,500) being property of the said Moinia Kallon. Police further allege that the accused assaulted Moinia Kallon in a manner thereby occasioning on him actual bodily harm. After the charges were read and explained to the accused person, no plea was taken.
Led in evidence by Prosecutor, Sergeant 9155 Dwight McCarthy, the witness DPC 15236 Abubakar Turay attached to the Anti-Robbery Unit’s Regional Headquarters at Ross Road Police Station recognized the accused person in the dock.
He recalled that on 11th July, 2024, while on duty, a transferred case of robbery with aggravation was assigned to him for further investigation.
He said he received the file and it contained an endorsed medical report, a search warrant, 19 leaves of photographs, a statement by the complainant and witnesses and statements of the accused. The statement of the accused was produced and tendered in court to form part of the court records.
The Police witness furthered that on 12th July 2024, he and DPC 19532 Munu obtained an additional voluntarily cautioned statement from the accused by observing the judges rules.
The additional voluntary cautionary statement of the accused person was again tendered in court to form part of the court records and was marked as Exhibit G1-7
Witness Turay went on that on 19th July 2024, he charged the accused with the offences he is standing trial for before the court. The charge statement was also tendered and marked as Exhibit H1-2.
The accused was unrepresented in court, therefore, he himself cross-examined the witness.
Magistrate Bangura refused bail and ordered the detention of the accused person at the male correctional facility at Pademba Road in Freetown. The matter was adjourned to the 22nd August 2024.