Man in Land Tussle With Chief Justice Denied Bail

Magistrate A. S Fidawe of the Siaka Stevens Street Court #:7 has refused bail and remanded in custody at the Pademba Road Male Correctional Centre one Ibrahim Issac Kamara for allegedly sending threatening text messages and insulting language on the persons of the acting Chief Justice Valesus Thomas.

The accused who is confirmed to have been in a controversial land palava with the Chief Justice had been moving helter and skelter in the High Courts of Freetown seeking Justice to retrieve his land which is reported to have grabbed from him by the acting Chief Justice.

He was arrested some days ago and kept in Police cell for days, but due to several Phone calls from the Sierra Leone Justice Ministry warranted the Police to press criminal charges against him.

He was subsequently arraigned in court today on a seven count charges bordering on using insulting language, threatening language, sending threatening writings, three counts of sending offensive threatening writings and calling a person by description other his name.

The Police prosecutor, Inspector Hawa H. Williams alleged in all count that the accused who is contesting the acting chief Justice in a land case on the 4th October 2015 at Edward Street in Freetown did used certain insulting language against the Chief Justice.

The Prosecutor further claimed that the accused on the same date and venue sent a threatening text message to the Chief Justice which did not go down well with him (CJ) warranting court action.

She added that the accused also sent an email to the CJ give him a description other than his real name by calling him “Thief Chief Justice”.

The accused was not allowed to take his plea to the charges after it was read to him in court.

Applying for bail, the defense counsel for the accused Lawyer Roberts B. Kowa Esq. informed the Magistrate that his client is a responsible Sierra Leonean citizen with credible and reliable sureties who are willing and ready to stand as guarantors to ensure his appearance in court when granted bail.

He assured the court that his client will not jump bail or interfere with prosecution witnesses.

He told the court that the accused is a bread winner of a large family with children, arguing that keeping him in prison will cause untold hardship to his family.

“Section 73 of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1965 clear states that accused persons should be granted bail except if the court sees reason not to” he stated.

He added: “That is the position of the law your workship with regards bail”.

Objecting to the bail application the police prosecutor told the Magistrate that the accused should not be granted bail pointing at the charges.

She said the accused will tamper with her witnesses if he is released on bail.

Lawyer Kowa went on to argue that the prosecution has not provided any good reasons to the court to prevent the Magistrate from granting his client bail. He crave the indulgence of Magistrate Fidawe to release his client.

In his ruling the Magistrate who manifested panic and fear in the court room ruled that bail is refused pending the hearing of evidence in the matter.

Meanwhile, the accused was taken to prison at the Pademba Road and have his matter adjourned to the 6th November 2015.