By Janet A. Sesay
Justice Monfred Sesay of the Freetown High Court yesterday gave an order to the Master and Registrar of the High Court, Elaine Thomas Archibald, to investigate Alfred Conteh, Registrar of the High Court, and Ibrahim Samura, Senior Bailiff Officer. If any of them is found guilty, disciplinary action should be taken against him.
The order came into being when a case of causing grevious bodily harm was mentioned by the Registrar, Alfred Conteh, before the Judge and the accused Mohammed Lamin Samura was absent in court.
Justice Monfred Sesay stated, in court, that he has ordered for a bench warrant to be issued against the accused, since 3rd March 2020, when the matter came up before him for the first time and, up till now, they have not arrested the accused and bring him before the court.
He then asked his Registrar if he issued the bench warrant of the accused to the bailiff officer. He replied in the positive and even showed the Judge the photocopies of the warrant he made.
Summoning the Senior Bailiff Officer, Ibrahim Samura, he denied that he did not receive a warrant of arrest for the accused. In fact, he looked into his book where he normally did his entry of names of accused being arrested, but could not find the name of the accused.
Justice Monfred Sesay then asked both of them if they want to be investigated. They replied in the positive. He therefore summoned the Master and Registrar of the High Court and explained to her what happened. He asked her to investigate both Alfred and Ibrahim Samura. He also told her that disciplinary action should be taken against any of the two that is found guilty.
The accused was charge with a count of causing grevious bodily harm, which is contrary to section 18 of the Offence against the Person Act of 1861.
The charge sheet indicates that the accused, on 15th February 2019 in Freetown, caused grevious bodily harm to Isata Bangura with intent to do her bodily harm.
The matter was adjourned to 10th November 2020.