Family members of accused persons, Lawyers and the Media at the courts were shocked last Friday following the collapse of 15th accused person, Alusine Kamara, in the ongoing trial of 19 persons on eight counts charges, ranging from forceful landing of a plane in Sierra to conspiracy to defeat the course of public justice.
Magistrate Deen Tarawalie presided over the trial at Magistrate Court No 1.
With spectators cramming into the courtroom, journalists glued to their notepads and lawyers submitting their arguments to Judge Tarawalie, Kamara suddenly fell down in the dock screaming. Police Officers came to his aid in a mad rush, together with other accused persons, fanning him.
Kamara was later examined by the Prison Medical Officer, who, according to State Counsel Gerald Soye, informed the Prosecution Team that the accused had suffered a cardiac attack, and as such, was immediately taken to the Prisons Hospital for further medical attention. The matter was then adjourned to Wednesday, August 27th.
Kamara is charged for conspiracy to defeat the course of public justice; he was alleged to have conspired with other people to use a boat, named Haja Coomber, for the purpose of ferrying fugitives being investigated by the Police. Kamara and the 18 other suspects were arrested over a month ago following the landing of an aircraft at the Lungi International Airport, carrying substances alleged to be cocaine.
Earlier, the 4th Prosecution Witness in the matter, Acting Airport Chief Security Officer Thomas Elijah Moses, led in evidence by State Counsel, Gerald Soye, told the court among other things that when the plane forcefully landed on the 13th at the airport, he visited the scene and the then Aviation Minister, Hon Kemoh Sesay, upon arrival at the airport instructed for the sticker on the aircraft be removed.
Meanwhile, Ebenezer Macauley, Ibrahim Manley and Mohamed Sannoh also appeared on Friday before Magistrate Tarawalie on two counts charges of conspiracy to forcefully land an aircraft in the country and conspiracy to defeat the course of public justice. All three were refused bail.
Lawyer C.F. Edwards is representing the first accused, while Lawyers E.M. Gaquee and AM. Musa are representing the interests of the 2nd and 3rd accused persons, respectively. Their matter comes up on Friday, August 29th, for their second hearing.
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