By Aminata Phidelia Allie
Thirteen accused persons in the alleged state fraud mainly involving the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Ecobank and the Sierra Leone Shipping Company, have appeared in court for the second time with the prosecution failing to start its case.
Whiles renewing their application for bail before Magistrate Komba Kamanda of Court No.2 one of the defense attorneys accused persons said it was not proper for the prosecution to oppose their application unless they were ready to begin their case.
Another defense lawyer, Ibrahim Sorie Yillah pointed out that the charges against the accused persons were “mere allegations,” adding: “If they are going to object to bail again, I insist that they begin their case. Let’s see the evidence”.
Another defence counsel, M. S. Bangura, added that the second accused, being a woman and a mother of two “small kids” was a “special circumstance”. He said that should they be granted bail, the accused persons were willing to surrender all their travelling documents to the court until the matter ended.
State prosecutor, Abdallah Sesay, objected, arguing that by asking the prosecution to begin their case when they were not ready was as good as asking the court to “do something in vain”. He said the offence for which the accused persons were charged had to do with the “survival of the state economically, such that it has the tendencies to disable the government practically”.
He went on to say that cases of that nature were bound to hinder the smooth running of the state as the matter had attracted huge societal concerns. He further objected to bail, arguing that the accused posed a serious flight risk if they were to be granted bail. He submitted that they might also communicate with co-conspirators who were still at large.
“I believe there are relations who have been taking care of those children while their parents have been in custody. It is in the interest of justice and the public to have all accused persons remanded in custody, at least, for now as investigations progress,” the prosecutor objected.
In his ruling on the bail application, Magistrate Kamanda said he was of the opinion that being a mother was not enough reason for the second accused to be granted bail as that would send a wrong message to society.
He said if that became the case, people would begin to use pregnant women and lactating mothers to commit similar crimes, with the belief that they would get away with it.
“In light of this, all accused persons are to be remanded in prison until the next adjourned date,” he ruled.
Such was also the case when the first set of accused persons made their second appearance in court on Tuesday June 25. The first and second sets were remanded at the Pademba Road prisons until July 1 and 2 respectively.
