The Legal Aid Board (LAB) represented a total of 36 accused persons arraigned in two separate High Court sessions held in Kabala in the Koinadugu District and Musaia Town in the Falaba District from 9 January to 7 March 2023.
The 36 were part of 40 accused persons called at the two separate sessions. Four of the accused persons were absent. Four of the 36 were arraigned in Musaia while the 32 were arraigned in Kabala.
The accused persons were arraigned on charges ranging from conspiracy to larceny, wounding with intent, robbery, causing grievous bodily harm, fraudulent conversion.
Among the 36 accused persons represented by the Board, eleven were discharged, seven were granted bail, nine were sentenced to various prison terms and nine were refused bail and had their matters adjourned to diverse dates.
In a related development, one of the Legal Aid Counsels in Freetown, Lamin Kamara on Thursday 2 March 2023 secured the discharge of one Sidikie Kamara alias Rozay who was standing trial on a one-count charge of murder.
Rozay works as a mason prior to his arrest in February 2020 at Four-Mile in the outskirts of Freetown for allegedly murdering a co-worker, Alie Kamara, a charge he denied.
Rozay explained how the two-year incarceration had affected his ambitions, adding that even his two children were currently out of school. He thanked the Board, its Executive Director and Legal Aid Counsel Lamin Kamara for ensuring his release and for standing by him during these difficulty two years.
He assured the Board that he would not be involved in anything that would be at variance with the law.
The accused persons in Kabala and Falaba districts were represented by Legal Aid Counsel, Abdulai Sesay. The two sessions were presided over by Justice Abdul Rahman Mansaray.
Courtesy: Legal Aid Board