Following the attack on the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) national headquarters on Monday 16th March, 2009, dozens of people were arrested by the police in a move to calm the political brouhaha.
Twenty-Two (22) supporters of the SLPP were charged to court on Wednesday 18th March by the Sierra Leone Police. Three counts charges were proffered against them at court No.1 under presiding Magistrate Steven Conteh.
The charges include: Riotous Conduct, throwing missiles at the Freetown City Council office and unlawful procession of offensive weapons like sticks, stones, machetes and other harmful substances.
Ten legal luminaries formed the Defence team for the twenty two accused persons. The lead Defence Council was Eke Halloway one time Attorney General of the Republic of Sierra Leone under the SLPP government, and he was joined by Ansu Lansana, Easmon N’Gakui, Alex Musa, John Kebbie, Lansana Kortor Kamara, Tamba Kellie, Solomon A.J.Jamiru, Gbassay Kanneh and Anthony Brewah.
The prosecution was unable to prosecute the 22 accused persons due to the absence of a complainant and witness to further enhance the prosecution’s case. The lead defence lawyer, Eke Halloway made an application for the magistrate to dismiss the charges against the accused persons with reference to section 94 of the Criminal Proceedings Act of 1965.
The matter was adjourned to today 19th March and bail granted to all 22 accused persons in the sum of Le5 Million.
Speaking to one lawyer from the defence team shortly after adjournment, Easmon N’Gakui revealed to this press that on the day of the attack on the SLPP office some members of the party were trapped upstairs while their attackers surrounded the building.
The police then told the trapped SLPP members to come down as they will be taken away from the scene for protective custody.
Mr N’Gakui further explained that those were the same people that were charged to court by the police. “Where are the attackers he questioned?”