By Janet A. Sesay
Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2 has on Wednesday, 20 November, 2024 made an order for senior police officers to visit the Choitram hospital at Hill Station to confirm the admittance of former Deputy Minister of Finance, Patricia Laverley at the Intense Care Unit (ICU) at the Choithram Hospital as submitted by her Defense Counsel.
This instruction came when the matter was mentioned by State Counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay after the former Minister was arraigned before the court for the offense of assault.
When the matter was mentioned, the two sureties were present before the court and the Defense Counsel; M. Yillah produced before the court a medical report from the Choithram Hospital indicating that the former Minister is sick and under intensive care.
State Counsel Yusuf in reply said the document presented by the Defense Counsel is “an afterthought” arguing that the document was not done on the date stated in the medical report, and submitted that the Defense might be colluding to deceive the court. He therefore urged the Magistrate that a Bench Warrant is issued for the arrest and presentation in court of the former Minister, and also the sureties too be arrested for deceiving the court by presenting an unauthentic document before the court.
Defense Counsel Ibrahim Yillah intimated the court that initially an objection was raised by the State that the document was not stamped and signed, but what they have done now after the short stand down of the matter, was to go to the hospital and request that the medical report be signed and stamped by the doctors. He noted that they as Defense are aware that the issue before the court is a very serious matter.
But Defense Counsel Yillah maintained that the former Minister is within the jurisdiction, but she is presently at the hospital being supported by oxygen.
Magistrate Santigie Bangura noted that the Defense was not treating the matter with the utmost seriousness it deserves, pointing out that the stamp on the medical report was placed on top of the one that was photocopied, suggesting that they are trying to deceive the court.
Defense Counsel Yillah however said that they note the matter is very serious and that they do not want to down play it. He said the medical report was given to them from a hospital, adding that they have pictures and videos to show that the former Minister Laverley is hospitalized.
It was at this juncture that the State Counsel Sesay made an application that the bail granted to Minister Laverley be rescinded and the sureties by their conducts be detained. He further asked that the sureties to be kept in custody pending the arrival of the accused.
Defense Counsel Yillah opposed to the application to rescind the bail for the accused, adding that they have submitted before the court a medical report which is authenticated by the Choithram Hospital. He noted the seriousness of the matter, but lamented that it pains them hearing from the Magistrate that they are not treating the matter with seriousness. He went further to affirm that they were not in any way fabricating a story by wrongfully attributing an illness on his client. The former Minister he maintained, understands the gravity of the matter and the charges levied against her.
Magistrate Santigie after listening to both sides ordered two senior police officers to go with the Defense Counsel to confirm whether the former Minister is hospitalized and that if that is not the case, she should be arrested and brought to court. He also ordered the officers to report to him after the visit.
The application made by State Counsel was therefore rejected and the matter was adjourned to Wednesday, 27 November, 2024 for continuation.
Former Minister Patricia Laverley stands charged with two count offenses of inflicting grievous bodily harm contrary to Section 20 of the Offense Against the Person’s Act of 1861 and assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to law.
The indictment states that Patricia Laverley on 12 November, 2024 at State House in Freetown, assaulted Nabella Farida Tunis with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm on her, and also that on the same date and place, she assaulted Nabella Farida Tunis in a manner thereby occasioning her actual bodily harm.