By Jeneba A Conteh
Sheku Alhassan Glibriel Turay has made another appearance before Magistrate Mark Ngegba on the Pademba Road Court No.1 for an allegation of making inciting statement at the new City Hall Administrative Building in Freetown.
The accused was in court for one count charge of incitement contrary to law.
According to police, it was alleged that the accused on a date unknown between the 1st day of January and the 31st of December 2022, at the new City Hall Administrative Building, Wallac Johnson Street in Freetown, did make inciting statement with intent to undermine peace.
Prosecution witness, Mustapha Conteh, attached at the Major Incident Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), recalls that on 18th September, 2022, he was on duty at CID Headquarters when the accused was arrested and brought in for an alleged incitement.
He continued that the matter was allocated to him for further investigation.
He added that he and Detective Superintendent Gunda interviewed the accused person, adding that the statement was read to the accused person and he admitted it to be true and correct. The statement was produced and tendered in court to form part of the court records.
The witness further testified that on the 23rd September 2022, a request for system data analysis on one flash drive which contained video recording was sent to the Cyber Unit at the CID headquarters for analysis and report.
He told the court that the said document has since been in the custody of the police. He then tenders the said document in court. A report of the analysis in respect of the request sent to the Cyber Unit, adding that the file which contained the report was sent to the Law Officer’s Department for legal advice.
He said that on the 16th October 2022, the advice from Law Officer’s Department was sent to the Major Incident Unit at CID. He also mentioned that on the 24th November 2022, he and Detective Sergeant Lansana A. R charged the accused with the offence of incitement. Defense Counsel objected to the charge statement, noting that there were some altercation in it, but State Counsel remarked that there was not probative value.
Magistrate Marke Ngegba ruled that he cannot admit the objection.
At that stage, State Counsel AGM Bockarie requested for an adjournment date. Magistrate Marke Ngegba adjourned the matter to the 18th January 2023. The accused person is on bail.
