By Saio Marrah
Justice Monfred Sesay has sentenced a convict, Abu Bakarr Kamara to Six months imprisonment after pleading guilty to wounding Edward Musa.
37-year-old Kamara who had earlier pleaded not guilty to the offence admitted to the crime after his Legal Aid Board Lawyer, Randy Salieu Bangura informed the court that his client wished to change his plea.
When he was asked by the presiding judge to say something before sentencing him, the convict begged for mercy and told the court that it was his first time coming in conflict with the law.
He also informed the court that he had learnt his lessons during the six months he had spent in prison, noting that the prisoners’ food at the correctional centre is not properly prepared which gave cause for the judge to order the state prosecution to investigate the claim.
Kamara pleaded that he is the breadwinner of his family with two older parents, a wife and a seven-year-old daughter.
The state prosecutor, Lawyer Aruna Jalloh, during his synopsis of the incident, informed the presiding judge at the Freetown High Court No.2 on Tuesday 7th November 2023, that the convict and victim are neighbours at Leopard Drive in Goderich.
Jalloh told the court that on the 22nd of April this year, the victim was in his house when he overheard a quarrel between his sister and the convict.
He said the victim had cause to go to the scene, admonished his younger sister to stop the quarrel and that it was at that moment that the convict insulted the victim, who also retaliated by insulting the convict.
Jalloh said the victim then returned to his apartment, but that the convict followed the victim to his apartment and stabbed him on his back and head with a knife.
He said the victim was then rushed to hospital for treatment and the matter reported to the Adonkia Police Station. Kamara was arrested, investigated and charged to court on one count of wounding with intent.
Lawyer Jalloh said considering the seriousness of the offence and the punishment attached to it by law, he pleaded for five years imprisonment.
Before passing his sentence, the presiding judge asked the convict to ask for forgiveness from the victim, which he did and the victim accepted.
In his plea mitigation, Legal Aid Board Lawyer Bangura told the court that the convict worked as a security guard and that his seven-year-old daughter needed a father figure to raise her. He also noted that the convict had not wasted the time of the court. According to him, the convict had already admitted to the crime to police.
Kamara walked out a free man after having already served time commensurate to his sentence. He was first arrested on the 22nd April,2023.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (08/11/23)
