By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Police Sergeant 11882 Hamusa Conteh from the Operational Support Division (OSD) has told Justice Komba Kamanda that he was hit at the back of his head with a machete in a land dispute that took place at Peacock Farm, Wellington on the 19th May 2019.
The Police sergeant was testifying at the High Court in Freetown on the 5th October this year against one Theo Koroma and Osman Koroma who were in court on three count charges. The prosecution is alleging that the two men conspired with other unknown persons to commit wounding with intent. The two men are also accused of wounding Conteh and his elder brother, Mohamed Conteh with the intention of causing grievous bodily harm. The two accused men denied the allegations in court.
Conteh, the first complainant in the matter told the court that the incident occurred on a Sunday. He said he proposed to his brother, Mohamed that they visit a land at Peacock Farm that was left for them by their father. He said that the elder brother accepted his request and they both left for the said piece of land with the intention of introducing Mohamed to the caretaker, one Manso Sesay.
He said that they met Sesay at the land and gave him the sum of fifty thousand Leones (Le 50,000) to purchase a mobile phone since he had not been in contact with him for a while. This, he said was because he was living in Koindu.
Conteh narrated how they left Sesay at the land and were heading home when they met the first accused, Theo whom they greeted but gave a rather unpleasant response. He said the first accused was furious because Sesay had told him that he wanted to sell the land and kill the two brothers. Upon hearing this he said they decided to return and follow Theo who was on his way to Sesay.
He said that when they reached the place Sesay went away with the notion of fetching a paper from home but later returned with a group of men including the second accused, Osman. He said that they went to meet the men and the second accused told him that they were going to beat him and take his pistol.
The witness claimed it was the first accused who incited the men to beat him and his brother after branding them as thieves. He said that the second accused acting on that, hit him at the back of his head with a machete. He said that the men started beating him and dragged him like a dog under the scorching sun.
He explained that 4 it was another Police officer who recognised him and made a distress call to the OSD headquarters which saw him rescued and taken to the Kingtom Police hospital for treatment. He later made a statement to the Police.
Justice Komba Kamanda adjourned the case to the 14th October 2021, during which Conteh is to be cross- examined by the defence counsel. The State Prosecutor, Yusuf Isaac Sesay also proposed to lead another witness on the said date.
Copyright © Politico Online 08/10/21
