September 28, 2016 By Patrick Jaiah Kamara
Concord Times can authoritatively report herbalist and traditional doctor, Mbaimba Moiforay alias LA Chocolate, and his Personal Assistant, Foday Amara Kamara, will both contend their conviction in the Appeal Court of Sierra Leone.
The duo was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment and death by hanging after they were convicted of conspiracy and murder, respectively at the High Court, presided over by Judge Alusine Sesay.
Defence counsel Ishmeal Philip Mammie was not clear as to whether he would appeal the judgment when his clients were sentenced on September 8, 2016.
“As at now, I will not talk about appeal. I will have to look at the evidence and study it well before I will make a decision on that,” he told journalists on judgment day.
But his client, Moiforay, emphatically said he would appeal the judgment.
And true to his word, judicial sources last night confirmed that an appeal has been filed at the registry of the Appellate Court.
It is, however, not known when the court will empanel three judges to hear and determine the appeal, based entirely on matters of law.
The accused persons were charged to court last year after popular Disc Jockey David Sydney Buckle went missing at a birthday party hosted by the third accused at the residence of Moiforay on 22 May, 2015.
Avril Oreh Renner, who was jointly charged with the convicted duo, was acquitted and discharged by Justice Alusine Sesay after a 12-man jury returned a verdict of ‘not guilty’ for her.
But the duo of Moiforay and Kamara, who now await the outcome of their appeal, were convicted on conspiracy and murder.