August 24, 2016 By Patrick J. Kamara
Hon. Justice Musu D. Kamara, presiding at the Freetown High Court, yesterday cautioned and released one Alusine Sesay alias Bonpy, who was charged with maliciously wounding of John K. Conteh.
“I am setting you free based on your apology to the complainant, testimony of your mother and the plea made by your lawyer. If you are brought here again for any other crime, I will jail you for life. You are cautioned and discharged,” said the female judge.
Justice Kamara noted that the essence of justice was to satisfy victims, adding that she was discharging the accused because he had apologised to his victim.
The judge reiterated that she had pitied the accused because of the ordeal of his mother and coupled with the plea of mitigation from his counsel.
The prosecution, led by Aruna Jalloh, had alleged that Sesay had deliberately and maliciously wounded his victim and caused him grievous bodily harm on 18 October, 2014 at the Congo Cross Bridge in Freetown
Pleading on behalf of her client, lawyer Sonia Bobanie-Browne told the court that he was a first time offender with no previous criminal record.
She submitted that her client was willing and ready to reform, adding that he did not waste the court’s time and had shown remorse by apologising to his victim.
On his part, the victim who was asked by the judge to speak, said he was unable to write his West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) after the stabbing, but that he had forgiven the convict and wouldn’t mind if he was released by the court.
Mother of the accused, who was in tears, told the judge that she was a single parent with five children and that the convict was her second child. She disclosed that she separated with their father when they were kids.
Responding, the State Prosecutor said any outcome was entirely in the hands of the judge as it was her discretion to determine which sentence to hand down.
Though convicted, the judge sent him home instead of prison, but with a stern warning not to engage in crime again.