One Billion Leones bail has been granted to the 10 FBC students who allegedly murdered Mohamed Juana at the Atlantic Hall Lumley in an initiation ceremony of the Islands Club.
They were arraigned before Honorable Justice Abdulai Sheik Fofannah in a motion for bail.
The Defense counsels stated that the accused are in the dock for man slaughter and not murder or treason so they are liable to bail. They made this application under section 79 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Act.
After a long legal battle in the court as the Judge was found to be very firm and tough, a stiff bail was granted to all the accused persons in the sum of Le 100 Million each with two sureties for each accused person. Sureties must be house owners in the Western Area.
All sureties were mandatory to submit their house books, land documents and plans to the court. The accused are also required to surrender their passport to the court.
The matter was adjourned to 18th September 2009 for a substantive proceeding.
In another court proceeding the Director of Public Prosecution Robin Mason made an application before Magistrate Steven Conteh of Court No. 1 for the 15 poachers who were charged with illegal fishing and illegal entering in to the countries water stating that an amendment of date on the charge sheet on the particulars of offence be deleted from 2008 to the 1994 Fisheries and Management Development Act.
His application was granted.
Defense Counsel S A Koroma objected to all the charges made against the accused persons. He said the section in which the accused were charged does not create any offence. It only shows how an offence can be committed.
Legal representative further stated that section 26 (6) of the Fisheries and Management Development Act 1994 says Any foreign vessel used in the countries water, it is the chatterer, owner and master who have committed the offence and not the crew.
He said the Act has nothing to do with the crew so they have no case to answer. S A Koroma applied for an urgent discharge.
DPP considered their issue as a groundless one.
The matter is adjourned to today.
By Emmanuella Kallon
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