By Janet A. Sesay
Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No. 2 has on Monday, 7th April, 2025 issued a Bench Warrant against Major Sulaiman Denise a Military officer attached to the Ministry of Defense and his girlfriend, Isata Bella Jalloh for failing to appear before the court on a private criminal sermon of wounding and other charges against them.
Major Sulaiman Denise and his girlfriend, Isata Bella Jalloh are charged before the court with four count charges of assault- occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to Section 47 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861, wounding, contrary to Section 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861, threatening language contrary to Section 3 (ii) of the Public Order Act No. 46 of 1965 and attempting to choke contrary to Section 21 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.
The indictment states that Major Sulaiman Denise and his girlfriend, Isata Bella Jalloh on the 12th November, 2024 at Aberdeen in Freetown, in the view of the public, physically and intentionally assaulted Isatu Deen Bangura causing her injuries and pain on her right jaw and allegedly broke her first upper teeth thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.
The indictment furthered that Major Sulaiman Denise also maliciously wounded Aminata Mansaray and did made use of threatening language in view of the public- “Ar go teach una lesson una wait small and ar go even pepper una” he is quoted as haven stated, all in a manner to provoke them to commit breach of the peace.
The indictment concluded that Major Sulaiman Denise also choked Aminata Mansaray on her throat with intent to render her incapable of resistance.
When the matter was mentioned by the complainant’s Lawyer, S.R. Bangura, both Major Sulaiman Denise and his girlfriend were absent before the court. The complainants however, were present in court.
Lawyer Bangura said both Major Sulaiman Denise and his girlfriend are aware that the matter should be heard before the court but deliberately refused to be present. He disclosed that they were both served but they decided not to be in court.
He therefore made an application for a Bench Warrant to arrest both Major Sulaiman Denise and his girlfriend for them to appear before the court on the next adjourned date to answer to the charges levied against them. The matter comes up again on 24th April 2025 for hearing.