February 16, 2016 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Justice Miatta M. Samba, presiding judge in the Alie Kabba bigamy case, yesterday slated the commencement of the trial for 16 March.
The judge also granted the bigamy and perjury accused bail following a successful plea from the defence counsel, which was set at Le100 million plus one surety.
One of several aspirants for the flag-bearer position in the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), Mr. Kabba was charged with bigamy and perjury on 23 December last year after his estranged former wife, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Diana Konomanyi, reported him to the police.
He spent few nights in detention at the Criminal Investigation Department before he was released on a stiff bail.
When he appeared in court on 23 December, he was again denied bail by Magistrate Mohamed Seray-Wurie, although he was subsequently granted one.
At the High Court in Freetown yesterday, State Counsel Ahmed J.M. Bockarie told the judge that an application dated 12 February, 2016 had submitted three counts of indictment: bigamy, making false declaration for license to marriage contrary to the Civil Marriage Act, and making false statement on oath contrary to Section 2(1) of the Perjury Act of 1911, against the accused.
One Inspector Umaru Finney Kamara testified against the accused, being the officer that interrogated him in respect of alleged bigamy and perjury.
He tendered the statement of the accused, which was recorded as Exhibit AVK and applied for a date to be set for the commencement of full trial.
In his application for bail, lead defence counsel Francis Ben Kaifala informed the trial judge that his client was already on bail based on conditions set by the magistrate court, which he had satisfied and not violated.
“My Lord, the respondent came to court upon the information that he is to be here. He has reliable and credible Sierra Leonean sureties who are willing to vouch for his appearance in court if granted bail,” Kaifala said.
He also vouched for the best conduct of the accused and his appearance before the court at anytime, adding that he does not pose any flight risk and would not interfere with prosecution witnesses.
Justice Samba ordered that the respondent be granted bail in the sum of Le100 million plus one surety, who must be a property owner in Freetown.
She added that the surety should also show a recent utility bill valid from November 2015 to date.
Justice Samba further ordered that the accused person file his entire affidavits within seven days, surrender his travelling documents and not leave the country without the notice of the court, while the matter is still pending, adding that the bail conditions are to be approved by the Master and Registrar of the High Court.