By Yusufu S. Bangiura
Justice Alusine Sesay presiding over the conclusion of proceedings related to 43 criminal cases before the Siaka Steven Street High Court has sentenced 16 convicts for various offenses.
That marked the official High Court Call Over and the opening of the September Criminal calendar where the High Court reviews cases that have undergone through Preliminary Investigations at the Magistrates’ Courts and have been committed to the High Court for trials.
It also considers new indictments from the Law Officer’s Department for assignment to various judges. The cases presented to the court included a range of offences including murder, manslaughter,conspiracy and robbery with violence,among others.
Justice Sesay sentenced the 16 convicts according to their respective offenses.
During the proceedings, one Abdul Karim Kargbo who had passed away while in custody was later discharged from the offense of robbery with violence.
One of the convicts, Ishmael Bendu, a 23-year-old driver, who was found guilty of motor manslaughter and he was sentenced to five years imprisonment.
Another driver, Mohamed Bangura, aged 32, was also convicted for motor manslaughter and was sentenced to five (5) years imprisonment.
Alhaji Idrissa, alias ‘Kartel,’ a 24-year-old mason, pleaded guilty to the offense of store breaking and larceny. He was sentenced to two (2) years imprisonment.
Also, during the September Call-over, other 13 convicts were sentenced to two imprisonment each for various offenses.
The cases were prosecuted by a team of lawyers from the Law Officer’s Department, led by Lawyer A. J. M. Bockarie. The accused persons and convicts were represented by lawyers from the Legal Aid Board, led by Lawyer Cecilia Tucker.