The Chairman of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) in Constituency 104 in the Fourah Bay community was past Friday, 20th January 2012 remanded at the Pademba Road maximum prison by presiding Magistrate Komba Kamanda of Court No.2 in Freetown.
The Chairman stands charged alongside one Abdul Quee both of 9 Canton Street, Fourah Bay, with six counts charges ranging from conspiracy to wounding with intent.
Count one of the charge accused both persons with conspiracy to commit a felony. The particulars of offence state that on Saturday, 14th January this year, along Canton Street, Fourah Bay; the accused persons conspired with other unknown persons to commit a felony to wit wounding with intent.
Aziz Carew was also charged with the offence of wounding with intent Lansana Fadika and Ibrahim Lewally on counts 2 and 3 respectively, whilst Abdul Quee was charged with the offence of wounding with intent one Abdul Lamin alias Amerikin on count 4.
On count 5 and 6, Aziz Carew and Abdul Quee were both charged with the offence of maliciously wound the above mentioned victims, who according to the prosecution are presently hospitalized.
Both accused persons pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Representing the prosecution, Mr. Frank Kargbo, who doubles as Attorney General and Minister of Justice disclosed that medical report, has confirmed that the first accused person, Aziz Carew is physically fit to face trial for the said crimes as he is only pretending to be seriously ill as a way to escape justice.
Lawyer Sulaiman Banja Tejan-Sie, representing the accused persons said the first accused person Aziz Carew, was arrested in his premises at Canton Street by fifty OSDs who beat him up and in the process went into coma for which he was taken to the Connaught hospital for medical attention, where he was placed under life support machine for over twenty-four hours.
He further disclosed that his client was discharged from hospital without being fully recovered and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department before he was brought to court.
He applied for bail for both accused persons being senior citizens of the country. He especially noted the responsibility of the first accused person who is the opposition SLPP Chairman for Constituency 104.
Presiding Magistrate Komba Kamanda ruled against the bail application due to the “serious nature of the offences” he said.
Upon that pronouncement, relatives, sympathizers and supporters of the SLPP started chanting their party slogan; ‘One people, one country, one country, one people’, whilst others standing outside the court room close to where the SLPP Chairman was held in custody chanted that it is just a matter of time to replace the present APC administration.
The female supporters promised to turn out in large number tomorrow (Tuesday, 24th January 2012) when the matter comes up for another hearing.
Aziz Carew was then carried in the arms of one prison officer to a waiting prison van which conveyed him to the Pademba Road Prison.
By Alhaji M. Kamara
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