By Francis H Murray
Lawyers representing the 2018 presidential candidate of the Alliance Democratic Party (ADP), Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray, who is standing trial on an eight-count indictment including conspiracy and sexual penetration, say they are concerned about the ‘‘serious health condition’’ of their client. Mansaray is being held on remand at the Pademba Road correctional center.
Addressing the court on Thursday 15th October, 2020, his lead defense lawyer, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, said his client has been sick for a while and that according to his doctor, he “is almost developing prostate cancer.” He said that the last time his client was given his prescribed medicine was in August.
Lawyer Abdulai said: ‘‘Our client is sick and when we say this, it’s with all seriousness and with no gainsaying. The State had sent doctors to examine him, which has been done, but the prosecutor has failed to make the said medical report available to the court,’’ he noted. He said the doctors prescribed a certain medication for him, which had not been made available up to the time of the last hearing.
Lawyer Abdulai also told the court that his client had been treated differently, noting that even his lawyers were not allowed to see him without them been referred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for clearance.
Lawyer Jesse Jengo, representing the 2nd accused, also told the court that his client is a mother of three children who are now suffering because of the absence of their mother as their father had also fallen ill. He pleaded with the judge to consider admitting his client to bail when the case comes up next.
Presiding judge, Samuel O. Taylor, ordered that the Director of Prisons grant access to the legal team of the 1st accused anytime such visits are deemed necessary in accordance to the rules of the Correctional Services. He also ordered that the report of the doctors who examined the 1st accused be made available to the court at the next hearing.
Meanwhile, the 10th prosecution witness, Detective Sergeant 11322 Mohamed Maruwan Conteh, attached to the Criminal Investigations Department as Scene of Crime Officer, said on the 18th July 2020, he reported for duty at the Tankoro police station where he received a call from the line manager Inspector Cassius who asked him to join them in an investigation regarding an alleged sexual penetration involving Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray.
‘‘We boarded a vehicle with registration number SLP 240 and drove to the Diamond Lodge Hotel with the victim and upon our arrival, the victim identified some rooms and before entering she described the inner part of the room. I took photos and labeled them, which had all been in the custody of the police,’’ he noted.
The witness said on the 25th of July 2020, he was called by ASP Thomas Mansaray, who asked him to join the team for the second time to visit the crime scene at Diamond Lodge Hotel.
Sergeant Conteh said when they arrived at the hotel the victim described one of the rooms which she said was allegedly used by the 1st accused, of which he took photos. He said they proceeded to John Kelly Street, where the victim alleged that she was also sexually penetrated, adding that upon arrival, he only took photos of the house because they didn't have access to the compound.
Under cross-examination by Lawyer Emmanuel A. Konteh, the witness said he has been a police officer for about 13 years and that each of the photos had detail inscription on them.
The matter was adjourned to 21st October, 2020.
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