August 10 Protest: 43 Convicts Sentenced to Five Years Imprisonment

Magistrate Marke Ngegba of the Pademba Road Court No.1 yesterday Monday 19th December 2022 sentenced forty-three (43) convicts to prison after he found them guilty of committing various offenses during the August 10, 2022, deadly insurrection in Freetown, while he discharged twelve (12) others.

The convicts were under trial for twenty-one (21) counts of offenses ranging from riotous conduct, disorderly behavior, malicious damage, insulting conduct, and throwing missiles to loitering contrary to law.

According to the particulars of the offense, on Wednesday 10th to August 2022 at various locations in Freetown, the convicts Mabinty Bangura, Mohamed Jalloh, Kadiatu Kamara Osman Junior Kamara, Maseray Bangura, Kadiatu Bangura, Mohamed Kargbo and forty-eight (48) others did behave in a riotous and disorderly manner. They were on the same day found throwing missiles and loitering within the capital Freetown.

The convicts also damaged K-Step Police Post, Kissy Police Post, and Congo Water Police Post. Approved School Police Post, Congo Water Police Post, amongst others.

In his ruling, Magistrate Ngegba said the prosecution has proved its case beyond all reasonable doubts by providing the necessary elements of the offenses proffered against the convicts.

The Magistrate furthered that the prosecution led ten (10) witnesses, forty-one (41) witnesses including the accused testified for the defense, while eight (8) of the accused did not testify after informing the court that they relied on the statements they made to the police.

Magistrate Ngegba said the evidence adduced before the court by the prosecution for the 54th, 10th, 13th, 28th, 19th, 37th, 55th, 48th, 34th, 36th, 40th, and 29th was not convincing for him to find them guilty, while the evidence adduced before the court for the 43 convicts was convincing to find them guilty of the offenses charged.

In his plea mitigation, Defence Counsel Musa Baraytay Esq. pleaded with the Bench to temper justice with mercy, saying the convicts were first-time offenders. He also urged the Bench not to pass a custodian sentence to his clients.

The Defense Counsel furthered that the custodian sentence would affect his clients’ well-being, noting that they have been under custody for about five (5) months and that they have learned their lesson.

Passing the jail terms, Magistrate Ngegba said he considered the plea mitigation of the Defense Counsel as well as the seriousness of the offenses.

He, therefore, sentenced the convicts to serve a jail term of twenty-four (24) months on the offense of malicious damage, eighteen (18) months imprisonment for the offense of riotous conduct, twelve (12) months imprisonment for the offense of disorderly behavior, and 6 months imprisonment for the offenses of throwing missiles and loitering. They were jailed for four (4) concurrent terms of 60 months.