By Saio Marrah
Lead State Prosecutor, Ahmed J. M. Bockarie, has during the ongoing treason trial in Freetown, said the state would be amending almost all the indictments levied against Amadu Koita Makolo, Bai Mahmoud Bangura and 10 others.
The amendment includes changing the number of charges levied against each of the accused and adjusting of particulars of offence.
After the said amendment had been challenged by defence lawyers on the grounds that it was unjust to the accused persons for fair trial, and that the accused persons should be allowed to get ready to defend themselves in consonant with the indictments, the presiding judge, Justice Komba Kamanda ruled allowing the amendment to be done.
Justice Kamanda however instructed the state to serve the defence lawyers the amended indictments by 1 P.M today 2nd February 2024.
Before adjourning the case to Wednesday 7th February, one of the defence lawyers, Africanus Sorie Sesay, representing Bai Mahmoud Bangura the 8th accused, reminded the presiding judge that since he ordered for the accused to be admitted to the Male Correctional Centre medical facility, his client was again brought to court in a wheelchair and bandaged.
He also called on the court to allow the accused to be granted access to a medical facility, but Justice Kamanda told Lawyer Sesay that he should have made a formal application.
It will be recalled that the Freetown Wilberforce Military Barracks Armoury was in the early hours of Sunday 26th November 2023 breached by attackers, who then went on to attack other key security facilities including the two main correctional centres in Freetown leading to the escape of over two thousand inmates. 18 security personnel on the Government side were reportedly killed, and three of the assailants also died.
Copyright (c) 2024 (Politico 02/02/24)
