By Mohamed Vandi in Kenema
Five accused persons including the Kenema District Secretary of the main opposition Sierra Leone People's Party, Maada Sellu were on Monday 3 December convicted by Momoh Jah Steven of the Kenema Magistrate Court for public order offences.
Two others, Ibrahim Sannoh and Isha Kamara were acquitted and discharged on same seven count charges.
The seven were arrested at the SLPP Kenema office shortly after ballot boxes had been controversially discovered in Bo on allegations that they were planning trouble. But they insisted that they were at their party office planning to celebrate the victory of their mayoral candidate.
Maada Sellu was convicted for inciting the commission of the breach of the peace and sentenced to a mandatory three months in prison.
He was also convicted on another count of riotous conduct along with Michael Sannoh, Mohamed Obimi Turay, Mohamed Conteh and Yusuf Kamara. They are to serve an 18-month prison term or pay Le 3 million each.
They had been charged on seven counts including the illegal possession of weapons.
The court room was jam-packed with mainly supporters of the SLPP who expressed their dissatisfaction over the ruling.
One Musa Lahai Kallon said the whole arrest was orchestrated by the All People's Congress to imprison their supporters. He said the same political tactic of the APC during the party’s 27-year rule was manifesting itself again.
The Kenema District Secretary of the All People’s Congress, Emmanuel Tarmoh dismissed the claim saying the arrest was done by the police and the matter prosecuted by the law officers. “They were arrested for violating the laws of the land, and it is not the business of our party” he said.
© Politico 05/12/2012
