By Aminata Phidelia Allie
There were jubilant scenes in front of the main law courts building in Freetown yesterday following the release on bail of the sacked State House Chief of Staff and two others.
They had spent 10 days at the country’s maximum security prisons at Pademba Road and refused bail by Magistrate Komba Kamanda during three previous appearances.
The three, including timber businessman Alie Suma and customs official Leslie Peter Crosbie, are standing trial bordering on timber export fraud.
Their eight-count charges include conspiracy, forgery, altering forged document and wilful evasion of export duties to the tune of over Le 4 Billion in respect of 614 20-foot containers of processed and value-added timber.
Prior to bail being granted them, the magistrate ordered that a contentious letter from Dr Konteh could be tendered because “the prosecution has laid proper foundation as to why the original cannot be tendered”.
The document could not be tendered at Monday’s sitting because the defence lawyers had argued that they needed the original or an expert should declare the photocopied document “forged”.
Under cross-examination by Julian Cole in respect of first accused, Alie Suma, senior permanent secretary, Sana Mara, said the executive approval for the 30 containers to be exported was not the first exemption to be granted since the ban.
At Water Quay, he said, there were officials from the trade ministry whose job was to ensure timber containers were taxed and put through due procedures. “I always get feedback from them through the chief director” he added.
Mara, who looked more relaxed than when he started his testimony when???, also admitted that no shipment could be made without the agencies meeting all requirements set by the trade ministry and that “there has never been a complaint of non-compliance by shipping agencies, from our officials”.
It was ordered that the accused should be bailed in the sum of Le 1 billion and two sureties each. Sureties are to be property owners in the Western Area and must surrender their titled deeds to the Consultant Master and Registrar of the court who could approve their bail.
The accused were also ordered to surrender all their travel documents before they could go home.
The matter was adjourned to Thursday, July 31.
(C) Politico 11/07/14
