Magistrate Mark Ngegba has issued a bench warrant for former All People’s Congress (APC) Member of Parliament (MP), Emmanuel Saidu Conteh and other accused persons.

The court said the three accused failed to attend a preliminary investigation into an illegal importation of arms and ammunition and conspiracy to commit a felony.

The warrant was issued after the State Prosecutor, Yusif Isaac Sesay informed the court that the matter is constrained due to the absence of the accused persons.

Conteh and the two other accused were implicated by the police after arms and ammunition were discovered in a Nissan pathfinder vehicle at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown.

One of the witnesses for the prosecution, Police Constable Collins said he was part of a team of investigators assigned to look into the unassembled pistols, 12 empty magazines and 100 live rounds.

Collins said their investigation was aided by a ballistic specialist and also informed the court that he was on duty when the first and third accused were arrested and brought in for questioning.

The Prosecution, in previous investigations, tendered exhibits inclusive of a non-negotiable waybill dated 28 June in 2021 and a scanning receipt from the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB) for a 40-feet container.

The Prosecution also tendered a document from Maerskline and Ocean Shipping Company based in the US.

Conteh, who is the second accused in the matter, denied the allegations against him at the Magistrate Court.

Conteh and the other two accused had long been granted bail.