By Musa Paul Feika
Mohamed Koroma, Mohamed Boi, Ibrahim Jalloh and six others have made their first appearance before Magistrate Wilbri Hamida Moira John, who presides over at the Ross Road Magistrate Court No. 1, for the offences of conspiracy, riotous conduct, throwing missiles, malicious damage and other related charges, which are all contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
The police charge indicates that Mohamed Koroma and eight others, on the 2nd March, 2021, at Jui Waterloo High Way, maliciously damaged a vehicle whose registration number is AQZ 727. The accused succeeded in vandalizing a windscreen, one rear glass, two driving mirrors and one headlight, which are all valued at eight million, five hundred thousand Leones (Le8,500,000), properties belonging to Mohamed Daboh, while they were in custody of Ibrahim Sannoh.
According to the charge sheet, all the accused, on the same date and address, also maliciously damaged a windscreen from a vehicle registered as AOH 662, valued at three million Leones (Le 3,000,000), which property belongs to Alpha Kamara.
When the charges were read to the accused, no plea was taken by them. So, the defence team, led by M.N. Kamara, applied for bail for and on behalf of the accused, stating that the offences which his clients are standing trial are mere allegations and that the evidence has not been tested yet.
Mr. Kamara furthered that the accused have been in custody since the 2nd March 2021 till yesterday. He noted that all the accused are responsible Sierra Leoneans. He made his application pursuant to Section 79 (2) and (3) of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 32 of 1965.
To buttress his point, Madieu Sesay intimated the bench that the accused are school going pupils who have been in custody for the past eight days. He drew the attention of the bench, informing that since the police prosecutor, Inspector Isatu Bangura, has failed to file an affidavit in opposition to bail, it was explicit that she was not adverse in granting bail to the accused.
In reply, Magistrate John granted thirty million Leones (Le30,000,000) bail with two sureties each to the accused, and the bail conditions should be approved by the Deputy Master and Registrar.
The matter was adjourned to 22nd March, 2021.