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In an ongoing legal proceeding, seven individuals—Ali Jaffal, Abdul Jaffal, Abdallah Jaffal, Mohamed Jaffal, Abass Antar, Naif Antar, and Hassan Jaffal—made their eighth appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at the Pademba Road Court No.2.
The accused are facing charges that include wounding, assault, affray, throwing missiles, and disorderly conduct. These charges stem from an incident on April 6, 2024, at the Young Sports Club (YSC) facility located on Wilkinson Road in Freetown, where the defendants allegedly wounded two individuals, Adam Hamdam and Mohamed Aroune.
During the court session, Sergeant 7907 Mohamed Kamara, a police officer attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at Lumley Police Station, provided testimony. He identified the first and second accused, Ali Jaffa and Abdul Jaffa, and recounted the events of April 5, 2024.
According to Kamara, he was on duty at Lumley Police Station around 11:00 PM when he received information about a commotion at the YSC complex.
The Local Unit Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police Mohamed Turay, along with other officers, responded to the scene. Upon their return, they brought in the accused individuals, and the incident was officially recorded.
Sergeant Kamara further testified that he, along with DPC 17708 Mabinty Kamara, conducted interviews with the accused, following proper procedures. The cautionary statements obtained from Ali Jaffa and Abdul Jaffa were submitted as evidence in court. During cross-examination, Defense Counsel Jeremiah James Vandy, representing Ali Jaffa, questioned Kamara, who confirmed that Ali Jaffa claimed to have no knowledge of the altercation at YSC. Similarly, Defense Counsel Joseph Amara, representing Abdul Jaffa, highlighted that his client was not present at the scene and had denied the allegations during the investigation.
The ninth witness, Detective Police Constable 15157 John Mohamed Turay, also from the CID at Lumley Police Station, provided testimony regarding the fifth and sixth accused, Abass Antar and Naif Antar. He recalled being part of the investigation team that took statements from the accused, adhering to legal protocols. These statements were also submitted as evidence in court.
State Counsel Yusuf Isaac Sesay criticized the Defense for delaying the trial, noting that they had previously pushed for a speedy resolution but were now causing delays by seeking adjournments.
The case has been adjourned until August 28, 2024, for further proceedings.
