By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Member of Parliament for constituency 129, Emmanuel Saidu Conteh has been refused bail by Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Court No. 1 in Freetown.
Conteh was in court on Tuesday 14 July 2021together with Nabieu Issa Bangura, Michael Alpha and Sheriff Jalloh on allegations of unlawful possession of firearms. They are charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and illegal importation of arms and ammunition. The said arms and ammunition were allegedly discovered at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay, according to the Police.
The first prosecution witness Detective Police Constable 9268 Joseph Collins told the court he was part of a team of 6 investigators that were charged with the responsibility of investigating the said matter. He said that they were examining issues surrounding 7 unassembled pistols, 12 empty magazines and 100 live rounds of ammunition. He said that they sought the help of ballistic and cyber experts to assist in their investigations.
Collins said that their team visited the said crime scene and obtained statements from various witnesses including the head of scanning at the Port and the Commissioner of the Sierra Leone National Commission for Small Arms, Retired Brig. Leslie Lymon. He said the exhibits that formed part of their investigations were duly registered and retained in the care of the exhibit clerk at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Freetown.
Collins testified that they were able to ascertain where the said arms and ammunitions were discovered as they went to the said crime scene. He said that the said arms and ammunition were discovered in a grey 2008 model Nissan Pathfinder. He however, told the court that the said vehicle was not purchased by the 2nd accused, Emmanuel Conteh but rather the 1st accused person. He added that the said vehicle was shipped together with two other vehicles by a Sierra Leonean owned shipping company in Maryland, United States.
Collins continued his testimony by alluding that they learnt that the consignee for the container that came with the said vehicle was one Haroun Rahim but that the recipient, according to their investigations, was the said Member of Parliament. He said the MP had told them that he bought the said car sometime in April this year, but their investigations proved that the said vehicle was purchased in May 2021.
State Prosecutor, Joseph A. K. Sesay proposed to the Magistrate that the matter be adjourned for continuation of testimony by Collins with presentations of required exhibits tendered in court.
Counsel for the 2nd accused person, Lansana Dumbuya hinged his objection for adjournment on appeal for bail for his client. Representative for the 1st accused Lawyer Jesse M. Jengo and counsel for the 3rd and 4th accused persons, Musa Bittar pleaded for bail for their clients but were refused by the judge.
The matter was adjourned for the 19th July 2021.
Copyright © Politico Online (16/07/21)
