As accused persons yesterday made their seventh appearance before Magistrate Deen Tarawalie on 8 count charges, ranging from forcefully landing an aircraft at the Lungi International Airport, the 10th and 15th accused persons, Mohamed Bashir Sesay and Alusine Kamara respectively were absent from court proceedings, due to medical reasons.
Briefing the bench and tendering a medical report regarding the 10th and 15th accused persons yesterday, Jonathan Prince Dickson, assistant to the Prison Medical Officer said, the two accused persons were absent from court because, both of them were admitted at the prison’s hospital, since they were seriously ill.
Dickson said, his boss, the Medical Officer at the Central Prison, is not a Physician Specialist and that, the health condition of the 10th accused person, Mohamed Sesay needed the attention of a Physician Specialist.
Meanwhile, Lawyer for the 10th accused person, Roland Wright applied that, order be given so that, his client be taken out of prison for medical attention, if, in the opinion of the Prison Medical Officer, the prison lacks the equipment and personnel to treat his client. Lawyer Wright asked that his client be taken to the 34 Military Hospital or any hospital that he could be treated.
Similar applications were also made by Lawyer Fio Edwards on behalf of the 15th accused, Alusine Kamara. However, the applications were objected to, by Gerald Soyie, State Counsel, on the grounds that, taking the 10th accused person out of prison for treatments would pose a security threat. He further submitted that, the accused persons could be treated in prison, by a specialist.
Giving his ruling, the Presiding Magistrate Deen Tarawalie said, the applications were rejected but that, the accused persons could be treated within prison, if the need arises.
Mohamed Sesay, the 10th accused person, is, among others, charged for damaging the perimeter fence affixed to the Lungi International airport valued at twenty million Leones, and for conspiring with other people to forcefully land a white Cessna 441 Conquest aircraft at the Lungi airport, contrary to law.
The 15th accused, Alusine Sesay, is alleged to have conspired with other people to defeat the course of public justice by using a boat, named Haja Coomber for the purpose of ferrying fugitives being investigated by the Sierra Leone Police. Alusine Kamara recently collapsed in court and was rushed to the Central Prison for medical attention.
The 19 accused persons are alleged to have, among other things, conspired to defeat the course of public justice, being in possession of small arms and ammunition without licence contrary to law and forcefully landing an aircraft in Sierra Leone contrary to law.
Meanwhile, Ebenezer Macauley, Ibrahim Manley and Mohamed Sannoh also made their second appearance yesterday before Magistrate Deen Tarawalie. They were refused bail. All matters were adjourned to Wednesday, 3rd September.
By John Baimba Sesay