By Musa Paul Feika
Residents in Moyamba including Rev. Jane Lahai, Dectective Police Constable 1142 attached to the Criminal Investigations Department in Moyamba, Sister Patricia Kind, a teacher at Saint Joseph’s Secondary School, Amodu Bailor Jalloh, Admin Officer at CSE Construction company, all residents of Moyamba Town, have testified before Magistrate Hannah Bonnie at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.1 in the ongoing matter involving 17 accused persons.
The 17 accused persons were alleged to have robbed the residence of Rev. Jane Lahai at No. 8 Bo Road in Moyamba on 2oth May 2019.
Ms. Lahai including the three witnesses told the court that they recognized all the 17 accused persons and they recalled the 20th May 2019.
She continued that on the day in question, she heard one of her tenants Koffie shouting ‘tif tif’ and according to her, this prompted her to look through her window and she saw the accused person at her own window.
She said after few seconds, she saw another accused person in her bedroom and forcefully dragged her outside and stripped her naked, adding that she even urinated in her pants because she was afraid.
The witness told the court that after she has been stripped naked, they started beating her with cutlasses on her back and this terrorized her to lead them into her bedroom and gave them six hundred and fifty two thousand Leones including her wrist watch, one Sumsung Galaxy valued at four million, five hundred thousand Leones and one Itel phone valued at one hundred and fifty thousand Leones.
She said while the fracas was going on between them, she could not clearly identify most of the accused persons, except her daughter (Matta Lahai).
Rev. Lahai furthered that while this was going on, her daughter was also screaming and they said to her “shut up your mouth bastard,” the witness said.
The witness informed the court that they asked her daughter to give them the motorbike keys valued at eight million Leones.
Ms. Lahai informed the court that later on the Chairman of Moyamba District Council including three police officers arrived at the compound and all of the accused ran away.
Sister Patricia resident of Moyamaba told the court that she recognized all the 17 accused persons and she recalled the day in question.
She said on that fateful day she was sleeping when she heard a loud noise within the compound.
She told the court that she peeped through her window to observe what was really happening.
Ms Patricia continued that she saw one of the accused and when she asked him, he said his name is Peter.
She said one of the accused kicked her led and she fell down. She told the court that she shouted for help and their neighbors who were around came at the scene, all of them ran away, adding that they carted away her mobile phones and other valuable items.
Detective Police Constable 1142 Joseph Banagura, attached to the Criminal Investigations Department in Moyamaba Town, said on the day in question he was on duty at the station when the complainant Rev. Lahai and others reported a matter that has to do with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He said himself and Detective Police Constable 1456 Bawoh M, issued police medical request forms to all the complainants respectively for treatment.
He continued on the same date they obtained a voluntary cautioned statements from the complainants and the witnesses respectively.
Mr. Banagura informed the court that on the same date himself, Detective Police Constable and Senior Crime Officer (SCO) visited the scene of crime and took photographs.
The photographs were tendered in court to form part of the exhibits.
Mr. Banguara continued that on the same date ASP Yambasu and Police Constable 1314 including the Chairman of the Moyamba District Council arrested the 17 accused persons and brought them to the station in relation to the same offences.
He said search warrant was conduct at the residence of the 7 accused and items were discovered and later taken to the police station as exhibits.
He furthered that on the same date, he obtained a voluntary continued statement from the 6th accused procedurally but the accused refused to sign the statement witnessed by 12152.
The witness informed the court that on 21st May 2019, himself, D. Superintendent Kallon, a Regional Crime Officer including the 17 accused persons and also the enquiring file with all exhibits were transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters in Freetown for further investigation.
The accused were before the count on seven count charge of robbery with aggravation and assault occasioning actual bodily harm and other related offences, all contrary to law.
The police file sheet indicated that on Sunday, Amodu Turay and 16 others robbed Rev. Jane Lahai and others within the same compound.
The matter was adjourned to 6th August, 2019.