By Francis H. Murray
Paramount Chief Koblo Queen II of Marampa Chiefdom, Port Loko District, continued his testimony before Magistrate Hannah Bonnie in Freetown on Wednesday, in the on-going preliminary investigations against 31 persons facing a fourteen count charge arising from serious disturbances in Lunsar Town in April this year.
Under cross-examination by Lawyer Lansana Dumbuya, who is representing the 14th accused, P. C Queen told the court that he had a ‘‘bad blood flow’’ between himself and the 14th accused, Osman Karankay Conteh and that he had issues against him.
The witness further told the court that this wasn’t the first time he had accused Conteh of something, citing that the accused was also remanded in custody in 2013 on similar offences relating to the activities London Mining.
He went on to note that in 2013, Conteh was at the time investigated for the alleged destruction of a mining plant at the then London Mining Company, worth millions of dollars, but that he couldn’t recall whether the matter was charged to court or the accused was released subsequently.
PC Queen further denied not being happy with the 14th accused for failing to come to his rescue on the day of the incident following several calls, and admitted to have mentioned his name in the riotous incident at Lunsar in April.
When asked whether there were any mining activities taking place at Lunsar currently, the witness denied, saying production was halted following the suspension of licenses in 2019 by the National Minerals Agency.
When further asked whether he had at any time taken money from a group of people which the 14th accused was a part of following the suspension of licenses, the witness answered in the affirmative, and added that he was happy that the said money was given to him in public.
Queen went on to note that he didn’t communicate to the police about the injuries he sustained as he attempted to jump the fence in his compound to a place of safety.
The matter, prosecuted by lawyer Yusuf Sesay, was adjourned to the 22nd of July.
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