By Francis H. Murray
State prosecutors in the treason trial of former Defense Minister Alfred Paolo Conteh and two others at the high court in Freetown on Monday 8th June, closed their case before Judge Justice Momoh Jah Stevens and a jury. One of the prosecutors, lawyer Adrian Fisher told the judge and jury that “following due process and in the interest of the expediency of the trial, we have closed our case.”
The team, made up of the Attorney General Priscilla Schwartz, Director of Public Prosecution Easmon Ngakui, Adrian Fisher and others presented sixteen witnesses during the course of their trial with only thirteen actually testifying.
All three accused persons: Rtd. Major Alfred Paolo Conteh, Sahr Antony Sinnah, the Deputy Head of the Small Arms Commission and Prince George Hughes face a sixteen count indictment for offences ranging from treason, possession of small arms without a valid license, having a loaded arm in a public place to concealing arms unlawfully.
Prosecutors alleged that Paolo Conteh prepared to carry out by force an assassination of President Julius Maada Bio during a visit to State House for a meeting at the invitation of the president in March to discuss the country’s response of the coronavirus pandemic.
One of the defence lawyers Joseph Kamara pleaded with the judge to give them up to Monday 15th June for them to prepare and make a ‘‘No Case Submission’’ in writing and a copy served on the prosecution before the end of the week. Lawyer Roland Wright also made the same plea on behalf of the second accused.
However, Lawyer Amadu Koroma for the 3rd accused Prince Hughes told the court that he was satisfied with the statement his client made to the police and the evidence before the court and that he had closed his client’s case.
Attorney General Priscilla Schwartz urged the defense team to ensure that the prosecution was served with copies of the “No Case Submission” before the end of the week to give her team enough time to prepare a response.
The trial continues on Monday 15th June.
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