May 22, 2017 By Memunatu Bangura
Magistrate Dr.Abou Bakar Binneh-Kamara of Court No.1, has on Friday, 19th May, 2017, sentenced Musa Rogers, Morlai Turay, Patrick Cole, Alfred J Kanu, David Aliah and twenty others to four months imprisonment or alternatively pay a fine of seven hundred thousand Leones each.
“The convicts are sentenced to four months imprison or pay a fine of four hundred thousand Leones on count one and four months imprison or pay a fine of three hundred thousand Leones on count two each. I so ordered,” he said.
The twenty -five convicts were charged for carrying offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse contrary to section 16 (1) of the Public Order Act No. 46 of1965 and unlawful possession of cannabis sativa contrary to section 48(1) of Pharmacy and Drug Act of 2001.
The accused persons were represented by Lawyer A. K Kargbo, A Bah, J .M Jengo, H A Kargbo and Julius N. Cuffie.
Earlier, defense counsel, Julius N.Cuffie, pleaded with the Bench for mercy and begged that they be saved from custodian sentence.
“Pleading guilty has also deprived them of basic benefits as Sierra Leoneans, because of the criminal report,” Lawyer Cuffie said.
He said the convicts have been incarcerated for two weeks and have not wasted the court’s time in admitting to the offences as charged, adding that the magistrate should caution and discharge them.