By Saio Marrah
Inspector Mohamed Wai, a witness in the ongoing trial of one Alpha Sheriff also known as APC Sheriff for allegedly operating a private security company without a valid license and other related offences has told the High Court that when they (police) found a rifle with the accused, he cried out saying he had “fallen in Bo town”.
Testifying at the High Court in Freetown on Tuesday 19th March 2024, the witness told the court that on the 7th of June 2023, he was on duty at the Bo West Police Division when Assistant Inspector General of Police, Brimah Kanneh ordered him to go to a checkpoint at the entrance to Bo from Freetown saying that a particular vehicle had bulldozed that checkpoint. The witness said he went along with other officers and found a vehicle parked near the checkpoint with its bonnet opened. The witness said he saw a group of nine men and the first accused, Alpha Sheriff introduced himself as the head of the group.
The witness further told the court how he obtained permission from their boss; the AIG to conduct a search starting with the vehicle after which they body searched the nine people. He said he searched the first accused, Alpha Sheriff.
Inspector Wai said he found pepper spray, a military compass, and a facemask on Sheriff and that while still searching, he saw something slipping down the trousers of Sheriff. The witness said he then ordered Sergeant 95 to check what it was and that it turned out to be a rifle. He said at that moment, the accused cried out saying he had “fallen in Bo Town”.
The witness further told the court that they took the nine men to the police station for further investigation only to later discover that the rifle which the witness mentioned during his testimony was not seen among the exhibits presented in court.
The witness was testifying after the state prosecutor Isaac Yusif Sesay had applied for the case to be tried by a judge alone which according to lawyer Sesay would ensure a speedy trial.
Earlier, the state also applied for a separate trial of two accused persons from the other seven with whom they were jointly charged. The rest of the seven accused persons reportedly escaped during the November 26th attempted coup.
While Alpha Sheriff is separately charged with the offence of illegal possession of small arms the two accused persons are jointly charged with operating a private security company without a valid license and concealing arms unlawfully.
The case resumes next Tuesday 26th November 2024 for the defence to cross-examine the witness.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (22/03/24)
