The former mayor of Freetown, Herbert George Williams, and the Public Relations Officer of the APC in the Western Area, Abu Bakarr Daramy, yesterday appeared at the High Court to answer to their murder allegation. However, the matter failed to proceed due to lack of jurors. The state alleged that on 31st March 2018, both accused murdered the former Managing Editor of the New Age Newspaper, Ibrahim Samura, in the Western Area.
They were later charged with murder and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm contrary to law. The accused were granted Le500 million bail each on the previous adjourned date by Justice Cosmotina Garrett, who has been replaced by Justice Augustine Musa. After mentioning the matter, the Registrar informed the court that there are not enough jurors in court for them to be empanelled.
Consequently, Justice Augustine Musa told the court the case cannot proceed due to the lack of jurors, as only six were present in court, which is far below the pool of jurors they were expecting to choose from.
Justice Musa, however, noted that they shouldn’t waste the court’s time in capital offence matters, adding that they must ensure such matters are expedited. As judges, he said some of them are coming out of their comfort zone in order to speed up such cases and urged others to follow suit. Justice Musa then instructed the Registrar to liaise with the Under Sheriff of the High Court to assemble the needed number of jurors by the next adjourned date.
He also ordered the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to hand over the mobile phone allegedly taken away from the second accused, Abu Bakarr Daramy, after lead counsel Lansana Dumbuya raised the issue to the judge.
Justice Musa then adjourned the matter to Wednesday 26th August 2020.
By Mohamed J. Bah