By Musa Paul Feika
Yusuf Conteh, an auto mechanic, is standing trial at the Ross Road Magistrate Court No.1, which is presided over by Magistrate Wilbri Hamida Moira John, for allegedly wounding, assaulting and robbing John Yayah, the complainant, certain valuable properties worth millions of Leones.
According to the police, the incident occurred on Friday 16th October, 2020, at No. 1 Gospel Drive, Grafton outside Freetown.
PW 1, Detective Sergeant 9940, Fayia Alhaji Tengbeh, attached to the Anti Robbery Unit at the Ross Road Police Division in Freetown, told the court that he recognized the accused and could recall Wednesday 9th December, 2020.
Mr. Tengbeh said, on that day, he was on duty at the aforementioned unit, at the Ross Road Police Division, when a case and inquiring file, from Grafton Police Post, was brought to the Anti Robbery Unit for further investigation.
He detailed the bench that the case and inquiring file contained both the voluntary caution and the complainant`s statements, including that of the accused.
The witness recounted that the matter was assigned to him for investigation, adding that, on the 11th December, 2020, he obtained an additional voluntary caution statement from the accused. Mr. Tengbeh added that, at the end of the statement, the accused admitted it to be true and correct by appending his signature, which was witnessed by Detective Sergeant 10474 Bindi E.T.M. and it was produced and tendered to form part of the court`s records.
On the 13th December, 2020, the witness rounded up his testimony and charged the accused with the offences of conspiracy to commit a felony, robbery with aggravation, wounding and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, which are all contrary to law.
The police charge sheet adduces that Yusuf Conteh, on Friday 16th October, 2020, at No. 1 Gospel Drive, Grafton, conspired together with unknown persons to commit a felony, to wit robbery with aggravation.
The charge furthered that Yusuf Conteh, on the same date and address, being armed with a cutlasses, robbed John Yayah certain viable properties worth six million five hundred thousand Leones (Le6,500,000).
The police say the accused, on the same date and address, wounded and assaulted John Yayah and Jennet Turay, in a manner thereby causing them grievous bodily harm.
The accused was denied bail and remanded at the Male Correctional Centre, Pademba Road in Freetown. The matter was adjourned to 26th April, 2021.