By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Court No. 1 at Pademba Road in Freetown has discharged musician Alhaji Amadu Bah alias LAJ on allegations of robbery and malicious damage.
The magistrate took the decision after the complainant Osman Jalloh attested in court that LAJ had refunded about 90 percent of the alleged properties damaged and stolen from him and therefore wished not to proceed with the matter in court. Jalloh added that he decided to forego the matter because of the several pleas from members at the higher echelons of the Fula community.
LAJ was arraigned in court on three count charges: conspiracy contrary to law, robbery with aggravation contrary to section 23 (1) (a) of the Larceny Act of 1916 as amended in 1971 and malicious damage contrary to section 51 of the malicious damage Act of 1861.
On the 16th July 2021 LAJ allegedly armed with a knife robbed the complainant off a brown bag, 2 iPhones, 1 kilogram of gold bar, 16 pieces of white diamonds, 1 Luis Vuitton slippers, 1 ipod among other items all totaling to the sum of six billion, nine hundred and ninety million, six hundred and ninety-three thousand, seven hundred and fifty Leones (Le 6,990,693,750.00) at the Swiss Hotel at 38 Spur Road, Freetown.
On the same day, LAJ was also alleged to have maliciously damaged the front and back windscreen of Range Rover Velar Jeep with registration number ARS 808. The said windscreen is said to worth $5,500 (Le 55,000,000) fifty-five million Leones.
The accused was also implicated in a separate matter involving an assault on a police officer on the 17th July 2021. Police alleged that LAJ assaulted Police Constable 12636 Joseph Lamboi at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters on Pademba Road in Freetown while the accused was in custody with the said police on duty. The accused was also arraigned for riotous conduct.
Also, the police said the musician at Golf club Police Post, on Beach Road assaulted one John Yambasu which led to bodily harm.
Magistrate Kekura granted him a bail of twenty million Leones (Le 20,000,000) with a surety in Freetown for the said matter. The other cases against him were adjourned to 11th August 2021.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (02/08/21)
