By Janet A. Sesay
Amadu Koita Makalo yesterday, Friday, 2nd April, 2020 made his first appearance before Magistrate Marke Ngegba of Court No.2 for allegedly uttering seditious words to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different tribes in Sierra Leone.
The accused stands charged on twenty-five counts, ranging from seditious libel, incitement, defamatory libel, attempting and doing an act tending to pervert the course of justice.
The charge sheet indicates that the accused, on a date unknown between 1st and 4th February, 2020 in Freetown, did an act with a seditious publication, via WhatsApp-social media, of an audio message to the hearing of citizens of Sierra Leone and also uttered seditious words to promote feeling of ill-will and hostility between different tribes in the country.
Also the accused, in an audio message via WhatsApp, said that the SLPP government, especially Laurence Lahai Leema, have had a meeting where they passed information, among their security, that whosoever is suspected of being APC must be killed or shot on sight.
The charge sheet also states that the accused made inciting statements as to cause another to commit a crime and also maliciously published a defamatory matter against the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, alleging that he deceived the nation that, during the shooting incident at his house, they tore his uniform.
The State Prosecutor, Adrian Fisher, sought for a date, because, according to him, his witness was not present in court and so the defence counsel, Lansana Dumbuya, made an application for bail on behalf of his client.
The prosecutor vehemently objected to bail on the grounds that the offence committed is a very serious one.
The accused was denied bail by the Magistrate and the matter was adjourned to the 8th April 2020.