15 accused over the riot in Bo on Saturday that cost the ransacking of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party Office on Monday appeared before Magistrate Adrian Fischer of the Bo Magistrate Courts. The 15 who are facing a two-count charge of “Riotous conduct” contrary to Section 12 Sub Section 1 of the 1965 Public Order Act as repealed and replaced by Act No 15 of 1973 and, “Throwing stones,” contrary to Section 6, Act No 46 of the same Act were denied bail. Magistrate Fischer told the fifteen accused that they were convened to the Courts for “throwing missiles to the annoyance of the public in order to cause breach of the peace.” Police Officer Andrew Theophilus Priddy, who stepped in as Prosecuting Witness No1 explained that the stone throwing started from the side of the SLPP, with only the APC side retaliating. He went on to mention Bomblast, whom he said came shouting “We cannot accept this…How can they abuse the President’s mother?” Making his conclusion, Magistrate Fischer said that he was denying the 15 bail as “these types of complaints have been too much.” He further vented his disgust at jubilations turning violent all the time and that the set of 15 were going to be the precedent of drastic measures taken against this sort of behavior for future would-be people. He however assured them of justice to whom it was due and stern punishment for culprits
ADVERTISEMENT