By Saio Marrah
40-year-old Foday Jamba Bangura of 16 Shell Street, Lumpa in Waterloo is in court for allegedly setting ablaze two police stations and two-government buses in Waterloo during the August 10, 2023 protests.
The accused appeared before Principal Magistrate, Mark Ngegba of Pademba Road Court No.1 on Friday 3rd March 2023. He was slammed with charges ranging from arson, burglary and larceny, and robbery with violence.
Bangura was accused of maliciously setting fire to both the Lumpa and Kissi Town Police Stations all in Waterloo and two government buses with registration numbers AKU-004, and AKU 015.
He was also accused of torching the National Commission for Social Action (NACSA) Office building in Waterloo.
Court records also state that he intentionally broke and entered into the office of NACSA and stole 10 tricycles commonly called Keke and other office properties all valued at NLE 854,000 (eight hundred and fifty-four thousand new Leones)
On the same day of the protest, he was also accused of broking and entering the office of Ministry of Lands and country planning, and stole properties worth millions of Leones.
A Police Officer and Prosecution witness, Victor Ngombu-Klah, of Lumpa station, said he was on duty on Wednesday August 10th 2022 when he saw the accused and others arrive at the station and violently robbed one Operational Support Division (OSD) personnel of one MPRG (tear gas) rifle.
He added that the accused and others also took away the pistol of one Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mansaray.
The officer said at that point they (police officers) ran away.
He said while he was hiding, he heard that the police station had been put on fire so he went to the station and so it was.
According to him, several motor bikes kept in the station and other exhibits were stolen.
During a cross examination by the defence lawyer, Ibrahim Turay, the witness said the disarming of both the OSD personnel and the ASP Mansaray took place at Bassa Town in Waterloo.
The officer acknowledged that he did not see the accused at the station upon his return, and pointed out that the station was by then under the control of military personnel. Bangura was remanded and the case adjourned to 16th March 2023.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (06/03/23)
