By Musa Paul Feika
On Friday February 25, 2022 Magistrate Mark Ngegba of the Pademba Road court no.2 has adjourned the on-going assault matter involving the director of research at the Ministry of Finance (MOF), Dr Yakama Jones and the former consultant of the aforesaid ministry, Keifala Mohamed to March 21, 2022 for ruling.
During the last hearing, the prosecutor, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) J.M.S. Bull told the bench that she had closed the prosecution’s case.
Led by defence counsel H.F. Gabba, the former consultant of the aforementioned ministry, Keifala Mohammed told the bench that he knew the complainant Dr Yakama Jones for over a year and could recall February 9, 2022.
On that day, he said he and his mother, whose name was not disclosed, went to the said ministry to see the chief economist, whose name he couldn’t recall, to have a discussion with him regarding his August 2021 salary.
He furthered that on their way to the chief economist’s office they ran into him at the ministry’s corridor, where he told them to wait for him at his office door. He said upon his return, the chief economist instructed him to take his documents to the complainant Dr Jones’s office.
‘I alone took my documents to the complainant’s office and I greeted her,’ he added.
The witness said he then narrated to the complainant that although he had been doing presentation of projects, he was not getting paid by the ministry. He said the complainant became annoyed and slapped the table saying that she would not be intimidated and asked him to stop provoking her, after which he said he left the complainant’s office.
‘Later, my mother called me on phone and told me that she was at the police station in Freetown. I went to the police station, but I told the police officer that I was not ready to make a statement, but he insisted,’ he noted.
During cross examination by the prosecutor, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Madam Bull asked Keifala Mohamed why he went together with mother to the ministry. Responding, he said he wanted his mother to act as a mediator between them.
Madam Bull suggested to him that he was not happy when his salary was withheld, which he answered in the affirmative. She asked the witness if he went with his mother to complainant’s office, to which he said, ‘no!’
Madam Bull asked the witness why he visited the said ministry, answering that he visited the ministry for his outstanding salary.
The accused appeared before the court on two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and wounding, which are contrary to the Offences against the Person’s Act of 1861.
The police allege that Keifala Mohammed on February 9, 2022 at the Ministry of Finance (MOF) on George Street in Freetown assaulted and wounded Dr Jones in a manner thereby causing her grievous bodily harm. The accused is on bail, while the matter was adjourned to March 21, 2022 for ruling.