By Abass Jalloh
Magistrate Isata Susan Sellu-Tucker of the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 2 in Freetown has sentenced Mabinty Kamara and Abu Bakarr Mohamed Dumbuya to 21 months imprisonment and fined them each the sum of NLe 3,000 (three thousand Leones) after they were found guilty of committing public order offences in Lungi during the violent anti-government protests in Sierra Leone on 10th August 2022.
Kamara and Dumbuya were charged with Riotious Conduct and Disorderly Behavior contrary to section 12 of the 1965 Public Order Act of No. 46.
Court records stated that both accused on the stated date in Lungi, Northern Province of Sierra Leone, behaved in a riotous and disorderly manner.
In her ruling on Friday October 28, Magistrate Sellu-Tucker summarized that the prosecution led in evidence seven witnesses - including the accused persons - to testify in proving their case.
Before convicting the accused, the magistrate stated that “to change a sitting president, that has to do with process of elections and not demonstrations as ‘Maada must go’; they were wrong and now they are found guilty of the offences charged”.
The accused pleaded for mercy while their lawyers were not in court, but magistrate sentenced them to three months for riotous conduct and 18 months for disorderly behaviour, followed by the fine.
The accused wept as they were being taken to prison.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (31/10/22)
