Sierra Leone’s Legal Aid Board has secured the release of one Abibatu Kamara, a single-parent with six children from the Magistrate Court held in Koidu City, in Kono district, in the Eastern part of Sierra Leone.
Abibatu was cautioned and discharged following a remorseful plea-in-mitigation by Legal Aid Counsel, A.O Kamara, after being found guilty on a one-count charge of receiving stolen goods to wit, a foam mattress by Magistrate Alpha N’dolleh.
In her statement, the beneficiary said she had been living with her six children without a foam mattress to lie on and had borrowed money to purchase one. Unfortunately, the mattress turned out to be one that was stolen and she was eventually arrested and charged to court.
Her arrest and subsequent charged attracted the attention of the Legal Aid Board office in Kono district which provided representation for her. After being set free, the Board was also able to emotionally move the Magistrate to purchase the mattress from the complainant for the LAB beneficiary.
In another related development, the Board has also succeeded in securing the acquittal and discharge of one Sahr Steven Sulukufrom the High Court Holden in Koidu City, Kono district and Ibrahim Turay alias Contractor from the High Court Holden in Freetown.
Sahr Steven Suluku, acquitted and discharged by Justice A.K Musa
Suluku was acquitted and discharged by Honourable Justice Augustine K Musa on Wednesday 9 August 2023 following a not guilty verdict on a two-count charge of Sexual Penetration and Meeting a Child for Sexual Purposes; while Turay was acquitted and discharged by Justice S.O Taylor on a count charge of Sexual Penetration.
Suluku was represented by Legal Aid Counsel A.O Kamara, while Turay was represented by Counsel Ibrahim Samba.
Speaking to the beneficiary in Freetown, the Executive Director of the Board, Ms Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles, admonished him to be careful and not to get into any romantic affair with under age children. She urged him to go back to his communityand be a good contributor.
Ms Carlton-Hanciles expressed gratitude to the Chief Justice andthe entire judiciary for being fair and magnanimous in setting free innocent accused persons.
Credit LAB
