By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Mohamed Baba, an accused in a sexual penetration matter has told the court that he was coerced by the police to plead guilty of the crime of which he was arraigned in court for.
The accused confided the allegation to his counsel Cyril Taylor-Young on the 13th August 2021. Justice Cosmotina Jarrett, the presiding judge on the said matter, conducted a trial within a trial to ascertain whether the accused was being truthful or not. During the process, the judge allowed Detective Saidu Lansana to be examined by state counsel, Lawyer A. Sheku. During his testimony, Lansana told the court that he was among two officers that took a voluntary caution statement from the accused.
He said that he was at the Family Support Unit (FSU) at 55 Waterloo Police Station when the matter was designated to him for investigation. He said that it was on the 21st June 2020 that the accused was arrested and taken to the Police Station together with the victim on the said alleged crime.
Lansana added that he issued a police medical request form to the complainant for examination and treatment at the Rainbo Centre. He said the said request form was later returned to them.
The police witness was testifying when Taylor-Young halted the witness on the grounds that it was the police that instructed his client to plead guilty so as to not waste their time. However, Lansana denied the allegations when he was answering to questions put to him by the prosecutor. He added that no police officer told the accused what to say when the statement was being taken. He said that the accused was cautioned before he started writing down the statement.
During cross examination, Lansana said that the statement was read and put to the accused in Krio and to which he admitted to be true and correct. He added that he affixed his right thumb print to acknowledge the statement to be true. He also affirmed that the accused was advised of his right to legal counsel before the questioning started. He said the accused pleaded with them not to charge the matter to court.
The matter was adjourned to Thursday, 7th October, 2021.
At the same court, one Abubakarr Gbla was arraigned in for alleged sexual penetration of three minors. The judge denied bail for Gbla citing that the allegations against him were grave after his counsel lawyer H. Timbo applied for bail.
This matter was also adjourned to the 7th October 2021 with the alleged victim, mother, doctor and a police are set to testify.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (18/08/21)
