By Musa Paul Feika
Magistrate Isata Sellu Tucker, who presides over at the Industrial and Social Court of Justice No.2, at the main Law Court Building, Siaka Stevens Street in Freetown, on Saturday 19th June, 2021, has ordered Inspector Alhaji Tegan Bangura to arrest Joe Hindo Vei Penmagbi, the head of Open Society Initiative (OSIWA), and bring him to court as against the next adjourned date.
Open Society Initiative’s head office is situated at No. 47 Old Railway Line in Freetown.
When the matter was mentioned by the Court Clerk, the complainant’s lawyer, U.F.D. Sesay, intimated the bench that, on the last adjourned date, the defendant paid the said sum to the Trust even though Magistrate Tucker was not present.
At this juncture, Magistrate Tucker became enraged with the complainant’s lawyer. She said the defendant did not follow the due processes or procedures. She described the act as a selective justice on the part of the complainant’s lawyer.
“On several occasions, before me, you have been denying other people (defendants) from paying monies to the Trust in court, but why have you now allowed the Trust to receive money from the defendant? That was selective justice and a clear indication that the Trust no longer believes in the court,” Magistrate Tucker told Mr. Sesay.
She added that the defendant ought to have come to court as other institutions have been doing.
In response, Lawyer Sesay stated the Trust’s policy, which is not to refuse monies from defendants. Mr. Sesay ended by apologizing profusely to the bench and vowed that such would not happen again.
The defendant is arraigned before the court on one count of failing to pay national social security contributions, an offence which is contrary to Section 32 (1) (c) of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) Act No. 5 of 2001.
The charge sheet adduces that Joe Hindo Vei Penmabi, on diverse dates between January 2020 and January 2021, at No. 47 Old Railway Line in Freetown, failed to pay national social security contribution for his employees within the required period. The matter was adjourned to 26th June, 2021.