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Court to visit State House in trial of Sierra Leone's opposition politician

  • Paolo Conteh

By Francis H. Murray

Justice Momoh Jah Stevens presiding in the treason trial of Alfred Pallo Conteh and two others has approved a request from the defence for the court to visit the scene of alleged crime at State House.

In making the application, lawyer Joseph Kamara told the court that based on the testimony of the second prosecution witness and in the interest of justice there was need to visit the alleged scene of crime which is reported to have a metal detector, scanner and a reception desk in place. He said the visit would put them in a better position to appreciate the setting of the alleged crime.

In reply the Attorney General, Dr. Priscilla Schwartz said the proposed visit should not only be limited to the scanner or metal detector and that it must take place “during official hours when State House is in full operation.”

Meanwhile the third prosecution witness Nathaniel Desmond Williams, an exhibit clerk at the CID headquarters, told the court last Friday that he was on duty on the 24 March 2020 when Detective Police Constable 15105 Sesay handed over to him: 1 GLUCK 17 pistol and its magazine containing 10 live rounds of ammunition, 1GLUCK 21 pistol with two empty magazines in a black case, one damaged red lock and a fire arm license bearing the names Alfred Paolo Conteh issued to him on the 3 March 2020 with an expiry date of 2 March 2021.

He added that he took possession of all the exhibits and entered them in the register of court exhibits which were also tendered in court.

Prior to that the defence objected to the tendering of GLUCK 17 pistol on the grounds that the witness’ description of the said exhibit didn’t match what had been presented to the court.

The trial judge agreed that if there was a “variation in what is being tendered after proper foundation had been laid for same, such exhibit would not be tendered” and then ordered that the necessary corrections be made and the exhibit properly tendered.

During cross-examination by Dr. Abdulai O. Conteh, the witness confirmed that the GLUCK 21 pistol and the magazine containing 10 live rounds of ammunition were handed over to him on the 24 March and that the brown bag in question was handed to him empty on the 30 March 2020.

Fourth prosecution witness Staff Sergeant Dauda Yemi attached to the presidential task force, working at State House and State Lodge recognised the 1st and 2nd accused persons.

He also recalled that while he was on duty the 19 March, he received orders from a superior officer to go down the reception area of State House as some visitors would be coming to meet the president. He said he and Police Constable Vackie, Sergeant Kposowa and Detective Ngaima were stationed at the reception with Vackie operating the scanner and Kposowa dealing with the visitors’ list.

The witness continued that after the search of visitors had started, he saw Paolo Conteh pass without going through either the metal detector or the scanner. “He was on his way to the steps when he was called back by Vackie for his bag to be searched. I expected him to come with his bag and place it through the scanner, but he didn’t because he was in some kind of a hurry.  So the first accused worked towards my table holding a small brown bag and handed it to me saying he had his pistol inside and that I should hold it for him as he had a meeting with the president.’’

He added that the search was done with the said items detected and that he reported the matter to Lieutenant Colonel Kposowa.

Under cross-examination by lawyer Ady Macualey, the witness told the court that he had served the military for 20 years, adding that the bag he saw with the accused person on the day in question was not the one tendered or shown him in court.

The prosecution then requested for a copy of the witness’ statement made to the CID. The matter was adjourned to the 10th June 2020.                                              

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