By Saio Marrah
Justice Monfred Sesay has remanded five people accused of two counts of conspiracy to commit murder and murder. Mohamed Johnson, Aiah Komba, Kalilu Fofanah, Victor Kellie, and Ishmiel Charles are accused of stabbing one Kai Osman Fengai to death in Koidu City, Kono District in the east of Sierra Leone.
The fifth Prosecution Witness detective constable 535 Mohamed Alieu Mansaray, formerly attached to the Major Incident Unit at the CID, testified on Wednesday 24th May 2023 that the case file transferred to him indicates that the incident occurred on the 20th of April 2021.
Detective Mansaray, now attached to the International Police Organization said on 5th May 2021 while on duty at CID, he received the file containing the statement of the complainant. He said the file also included a knife with a brown handle.
The witness also told the court that on 31st of May, that same year, he obtained statements from the accused after cautioning them along with detective inspector B.A. Munu. He said the statements were also read out to the accused before they signed up.
Lawyers Aruna Jalloh, Moses Kelvin Johnson, and Tommy Bangahun Zizier are the state prosecutors while Randy Salieu Bangura from the Legal Aid Board is representing all five accused persons. The case was adjourned to Wednesday 31st May this year.
Also in the High Court Justice Adrian Fisher sentenced 34-year-old Daniel Gooding of 3B Queen Street Goderich to two years imprisonment after pleading guilty to breaking and entering the dwelling house of Susan Baindu Juana and stealing one IPhone 8 plus, one IPhone 7 plus, one IPad and NLe 10, 000 in cash.
Of the two years sentence, the accused had already spent nine months on remand.
The judge addressed the court saying the maximum punishment for the crime is 15 years imprisonment, but that the two-year sentence was for Gooding to be able to rehabilitate his life.
Justice Fisher warned him that as a truck driver he should focus on his driving and promised to sentence him to over 10 years should he repeat the offence.
Asked how he managed to break into the house Gooding told the court that he only pushed his way in as the door was already fragile. He said he stole two phones and the IPad and denied stealing NLe 10, 000 saying it was a mere allegation.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (26/05/23)
