July 18, 2019
By Yusufu S. Bangura
Presiding Magistrate at the Pademba Road court No.1, Hannah Bonnie yesterday (Wednesday 17th July) remanded one Shahid Mahmood, a Pakistani businessman, Alex Conteh, a motor bike rider and Adama Kondeh,a petty trader, at the Male and Female Correctional Centres for alleged human trafficking.
The three accused persons were before the court on two counts of conspiracy to commit human trafficking and human trafficking in person contrary to Section 2(1) of the Anti-Human Trafficking Act No.7 of 2005.
Police Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent Ibrahim S. Mansaray alleges that the accused persons on Friday 1st March, 2019, and Thursday, 2nd May, 2019, at Masoila Lungi, in the Kafu Bullom Chiefdom, Port-Loko district, conspired with unknown person to traffick Falik Sher from Pakistan to Sierra Leone for the purpose of exploitation.
In count two, police alleges that the accused persons on the same date and place by means of deception did recruit and traffic Falik Sher from Pakistan to Sierra Leone, through Benin, Togo and Ghana for the purpose of exploitation.
The prosecutor summoned the complainant and witnesses in court, but told the Magistrate that he would not go on with the matter because he wanted to have proper conference with the complainant and witnesses as he only met them yesterday.
However, Defense counsel, F. Mansaray, applied for bail on behalf of all the accused persons, but his application was rejected.
He also pleaded to the magistrate for the first accused (Shahid Mahmood) to be remanded at the Transnational Organise Crime Unit (TOCU), claiming that he has been on medical treatment at the said facility.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Bonnie denied his application again and adjourned the matter to Monday, 22nd July, for prosecution to open its case.