By Saio Marrah
A Supreme Court Judge, Alusine Sesay, has during the September criminal session, sentenced a Truck Driver, Ishmael Bendu to five years imprisonment for accidentally killing a 19-year-old Victor Mansaray while driving the truck.
The convict, Bendu, after pleading guilty to the offence at the Freetown High Court No.1 on Tuesday 19th April 2023, also begged for mercy from the bench.
The defence lawyer from Legal Aid Board, Cecilia Tucker also pleaded for mercy for the convict. She said the convict was a first-time offender and that he did not waste the time of the court by admitting to the crime.
While calling on the bench for a lighter sentence, she specifically pleaded for 18 months imprisonment.
She also noted that the killing was not intentional as it was an accident. She also informed the court that the convict from the time of his arrest on 18th January this year had not been granted bail.
Lawyer Solomon Christian Kekurah, representing the state, called on the bench to sentence the convict a minimum of five years.
The convict was indicted on one count of manslaughter, that on 18th January this year being the driver in control of a Mercedes Benz Truck with registration number AUQ-837, unlawfully killed Mansaray.
The presiding judge also sentenced two convicts, Mohamed Kamara and Alie Samura to two years each after they had admitted to two counts of store breaking and larceny.
The court learned that the two convicts committed the act at Waterloo between the 13th and 15th October 2022.
Copyright (2023) Politico (20/09/23)
