By Abass Jalloh
Justice Adrian Fisher of High Court No. 1 in Freetown has remanded Mariama Bangura, a petty trader, for allegedly forging a voter registration identification card.
Mariama, 27, who cannot read or write, was before the court charged with Forgery of Voter Registration Card and Unlawful Possession of Voter’s Card.
Count one states that the accused on a day unknown between the 1st January and 12th September 2022 in Freetown forged a voter registration card while count two says the accused between the same dates and place was found in possession of voter’s card without lawful authority.
Upon her arraignment on Friday October 21, State Counsel, Ahmed J. M. Bockarie, applied for a trial by judge alone, which Justice Fisher granted.
The defendant’s lawyer, V. N. Leke, applied for bail on grounds that the accused is a breadwinner of her family and stated that she had been “incarcerated over a month”, and has vowed not to interfere with the prosecution witness(es).
He added that the accused had reliable sureties who would stand for her, soliciting the judge’s discretion for bail in favour of the accused.
In response, Prosecutor Bockarie “vehemently opposed to bail” and requested that the judge refuse the bail application.
Lawyer Bockarie submitted that the electoral offences are serious, considering the punishment also for the said offences which could mean five years imprisonment and or 20,000 new Leones fine.
He said: “Our extract of findings clearly incriminates the accused that she, during the investigation, admitted of committing the said offences. Now that she is aware of the nature of the offence and the punishment which have been read to this court, these are offences which have the propensity of changing the political and economic risk of this country.”
After looking at both applications, Justice Fisher stated that the accused must remain in custody while the matter comes up again on Friday the 28th October 2022.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (24/10/22)
