By Feima Sesay
Esther Yeanor Koroma, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Head of Firearms Bereau for the Small Arms Commission, has on Monday 3rd October 2022 testified before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba Road court No1 on the alleged unlawful possession of firearms in the Sambaia Bendugu matter involving ex-military man and six others.
Prosecution witness No 10, in the evidence led by State Counsel Lawyer AGM Bockarie, said she has worked at the Small Arms Commission for two years now with varying duties including the registering and examining and renewal of firearms that are brought to the Commission.
According to her, weapons registered are marked with ECOWAS logo, SL/CIV along with the serial number of the weapon, but said the aformetioned weapon does not bear ECOWAS Mark neither is it registered with the Commission, noting that the Commission did not have any licences of the name of the first accused registering the said firearm.
At this stage, Defense Counsel I.Turay Esq. sought from the Bench with a plea to defer the cross examination.
Meanwhile, the accused persons were denied bail again as the matter comes up on Monday 10th October 2022 for cross examination.
The accused ex-service man, Joseph Sheku Jalloh and Six others, have been under Preliminary Investigation on nine counts charges ranging from possession of small arm without license, carrying offensive weapon, threatening language, obstruction and to riotous conduct all contrary to law.
According to the particulars of offence, on Wednesday 8th June 2022 at Sambaia Bendugu, Tonkolili District in the North East of Sierra Leone, the first accused Joseph Sheku Jalloh was found in possession of one small arm to wit short gun without license.
It was alleged on count two that the second accused was found carrying offensive weapons to wit cutlass and knife.
Police further alleged that the six and seven accused persons threatened to burn down the house of Honourable Paramount Chief Alhaji Bamba Foray Jalloh.
Whiles count seven states that the fourth accused obstructed the Sierra Leone Police while in the process of executing their lawful duties.
Count nine added that the accused persons behaved in a riotous conduct.
