By Saio Marrah
A 20-year-old Cleaner, Sheka Conteh has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment after confessing to biting off the lower lip of one Jusif Sankoh.
Before pronouncing the sentence at the Freetown High Court No.1 on Monday 4th September 2023, Justice Adrian Fisher noted that the only way society can be safe is when such people are kept in a tight place. He said as a judge he owes society the responsibility to sentence the convict in a way that would send a strong message to other bad boys.
During the proceedings the judge asked the victim whether the convict had attempted to apologise to him since the incident occurred or even when the matter was at Magistrate’s court, but he responded in the negative. The convict also confirmed that he had not apologised, but argued that he never had the opportunity to do so.
Justice Fisher pointed out that if the convict intended to apologise, he would have done so at the Magistrate’s court during the time the Magistrate asked him if he had any question for witnesses after every testimony.
Standing in the dock, the convict confessed to the court that at the time of the incident, he was engaged in a fight with the victim, who was with his clique.
The court learnt from him that the victim dragged him on the ground and that he (convict) bit off the lower lip of the victim because it was the only thing he could hold on to. He also informed the court that on the day of the incident, 5th September 2020 he (convict) was working with the cleaning agency, Masada when they met the victim at Shell in Eastern Freetown and that victim used abusive words against his (convict’s ) mother because they had a grudge as people belonging to two different clubs.
The Defence Lawyer from Legal Aid Board, Ibrahim Bangura, pleaded with the judge to “temper justice with mercy” pointing out that the convict had admitted to the crime. He further pleaded that the convict had shown remorse and that he had already learnt his lesson from the time he had spent on remand.
According to the mother of the victim, who was also standing in front of the presiding judge, the victim is always ashamed of how his lip is now shaped which is why he always hides it.
Lawyer Daisy Sawyer prosecuted the wounding with intent case.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (06/09/23)
