Babatunde Decker was remanded at the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road in Freetown after he made his first appearance before Magistrate Mark Ngegba at the Freetown Magistrate Court No. 1 on allegations of robbery with aggravation.
Police alleged that the accused, Babatunde Decker, on Friday 18th December 2020 at No. 20 Elizabeth Lane, Goderich, conspired with persons unknown to commit a felony, to wit, robbery with aggravation.
Police also alleged that the accused at the same place and date being armed with offensive weapons robbed Abdulai Barrie of property worth Le31 million, and that the accused maliciously wounded one Alimamy, and Saio Jalloh.
Consequently, Decker was charged with robbery with aggravation, wounding with intent, conspiracy, and wounding, all of which are contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
Prosecution witness and victim, Abdulai Barrie, a resident of Goderich and also senior environmental specialist at the Electricity Distribution Supply Authority (EDSA), recognised the accused person and recalled Friday 18th December 2020.
“On the said date I was at my residence at around 4am when I heard some loud noise, so I immediately jumped out of my bed. When I opened my door I was confronted by four individuals who were wearing face masks. These four men pushed me to my room and demanded for my money,” Barrie explained.
He said on that faithful night he had closed the doors and windows, implying that the alleged robbers broke in.
Barrie furthered that he was also apprehensive and terrified because his kids and other family members were at home.
He disclosed that the alleged robbers threatened to kill him if he did not give them money, adding that the robbers also attacked his wife who had just returned from Belgium. “The robbers wrestled my wife to the ground and hit me with a cutlass on my back,” he said.
He added the robbers searched the entire house and made away with his property amounting to millions of Leones. Barrie disclosed that one of the items, a Dell computer, was bought by his office at a cost of Le13 million, as well as his personal bag which contained his travelling documents.
He furthered that the robbers also made away with their phones.
“In all of these, I was more concerned about what will happen to my children and wife,” he said.
Not long after, his driver living next door came out and raised an alarm, which caused the robbers to take to the stairs, before which they had ransacked his vehicle, while two of the robbers were in his brother’s room.
“We ran after them, and we were able to catch the accused person in the dock with a cutlass. He was caught by a man named Scallah Swaray. I later made statement at the Adonkia Police Station where I was issued a medical request form. I took the medical request form to the Connaught Hospital for treatment,” he narrated.
Police prosecutor, Sergeant Taylor produced the said medical request form for identification.
Magistrate Mark Ngegba remanded the accused and adjourned the matter to 16th February 2021.
By sulaiman.sesay@awokonewspaper.sl