By Mustapha Sesay
Magistrate Binneh Kamara of Ross Road Court no. 1 in Freetown says he will commit to high court a case against 13 people accused of committing murder at Waterloo last September.
Magistrate Kamara said Tuesday that he lacked the jurisdictional power to grant the accused persons bail or discharge and acquit them.
The magistrate however urged the prosecution team to bring in more witnesses to prove their case, as “the liberties of thirteen citizens were at stake.”
“My business is to act on the evidence and see if there is anything that links the suspects to the crime,” he said.
The defence team noted that the prosecution had delayed in bringing in witnesses and appealed to the court to hear the matter twice a week to enhance pace for the trial.
The lead prosecution counsel ASP Bangura however stated that the case was a transferred matter from Magistrates’ Court no. 2 in Freetown and was new before the court. Therefore, he added, “we need to put ourselves together.”
He promised that his team would bring in factual witnesses in their next appearance.
The 13 thirteen suspects, all Sierra Leonean men, were arrested in Jorpor Farm at Waterloo, and have been in detention since 11 September, 2014. They face two count charges of conspiracy to commit murder, contrary to section 4 of the offences against the Person Act, and felony to wit murder.
The case comes up again on 4 November, 2015.
© Politico 29/01/15
