By Saio Marrah
One Alhaji Dauda has told a magistrate in Freetown that Joseph Ngegba who introduced himself as a director in the ministry of finance told him, while destroying the gate to his property that he (Joseph Ngegba) was an integral part of the current government of Sierra Leone and he can do as he likes with no consequences.
Dauda who was testifying in an ongoing case of malicious damage, intimidation, and other related charges levied against Joseph Ngegba, told magistrate Sahr Kekura at the Pademba Road Court No.1 on Monday 4th March 2024 that the incident occurred on the 11th of May last year when he (complainant) together with his workers were in his compound at Number Two River, trying to fix the metal gate in question.
According to him, the men who destroyed the gate, valued at NLe 50, 000, had machetes when they attacked the property. The witness who told the court he was an accountant, said the defendant then ordered Solomon Vandy, Alusine Massaquoi alais Forty-P, Hon Martin Gandi, and others to chase him off the land. He said he reported the matter to the anti-land Grabbing Unit of the Lumley Police Station and went along with inspector Edward Conteh to visit the scene.
According to him, the defendant and his men had left the scene by the time they arrived but the officer took a snapshot of the damaged properties. He said they returned to the police station, where the police officer made a statement in respect of what he saw at the scene.
The witness said due to some challenges he encountered during the police investigation of the matter, he opted to hire a private law firm to pursue his case.
A bail application objected to by lawyer Sulaiman I Jalloh, representing the complainant with an affidavit on the ground that the matter was serious and that the defendant might interfere with prosecution witnesses was granted.
The case resumes on 13th March this year.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (06/03/24)
