In the ongoing petition matter involving the All People’s Congress (APC) and Alfred Peter Conteh, the Freetown High Court on Tuesday, 19th October, 2021 slammed a fine of four million Leones on 2nd defendant, the National Secretary General of the APC, Alhaji Amb Dr Osman Foday Yansaneh for failing to appear before the court.
It could be recalled that the presiding Judge, Justice Adrian Fisher had in the previous hearing insisted that the 2nd defendant must be present in court at yesterday’s hearing to listen to the new application filed by the plaintiff’s lawyer, Jesse Michael Jengo.
On his defense, his legal representative, Africanus Sesay told the client was outside the jurisdiction in Ghana attending this year’s ECOWAS Parliament summit and that he also used the opportunity to seek medical attention there. That singular excuse saved him from being served a Bench Warrant.
According to Justice Fisher, his lawyers failed to remind him about the 2nd defendant’s trip to Ghana, which, he said, was disrespect to the court.
Meanwhile, the court has acknowledged receipt of fresh application filed by litigant in person, Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden by Notice of Motion filed on the 13th of October, 2021, joining the plaintiff in the matter, Alfred Peter Conteh. However, her application was objected by lawyers representing the defendants in the matter.
At the end of the legal arguments, the presiding judge adjourned Blyden’s fresh matter to today’s date and the fresh application by the main plaintiff, Alfred Peter Conteh to the 5th of November, 2021.
It is however not known whether or not the Plaintiff’s Lawyer, Jesse M. Jengo would associate with Blyden in the ongoing matter, according to The Exclusive Newspaper.