Judge slams police investigators
August 11, 2015 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Justice Alusine Sesay, presiding at the Freetown High Court, has slammed the investigating officer in a matter between the State and Foday Jonny, a Traffic Warden, Sahr Nat Kelly, a Police Officer, Quame Idrissa Thullah and Michael Kpakiwa, for going rushed investigations.
Justice Sesay was speaking after it emerged during cross-examination of Detective Constable 10389 Muctarr Ahmed Sheriff, who arrested first accused, that he arrested the accused while the latter had Le6,000 in his pocket, alleging he had collected it from a taxi driver as bribe.
The judge said evidence against the accused would have been strong if the investigator had worked with the taxi driver to note serial numbers on the money.
“Mr. Hanciles, the problem is not with you at the Anti-Corruption Commission, but with the police because they did the investigation and you are only in court to prosecute. I want you to revisit your case again,” Justice Sesay admonished the ACC prosecutor.
Detective Constable Sheriff told defence counsel C.F. Edwards who was cross-examining him that he had seen the first accused receiving bribe from a taxi driver and that after the money was given to him he traced and arrested him.
He said the accused at first he denied the allegation but later accepted, before he was taken to the Complaint, Discipline and Internal Investigations Department of the police, and then the Congo Cross Police Station
The accused were indicted on three counts of accepting bribe, giving bribe, and abuse of position, contrary to the ACC Act of 2008.
ACC prosecutor Salifu Hanciles alleges that the accused accepted bribe on 13 June, 2013 in Freetown. They accused though deny all the charges.