In what caused people in the courtroom to chuckle, the photograph of former President Ernest Bai Koroma was on Monday 24th August 2020 tendered as evidence in the alleged defamatory matter of the state against Dr. Sylvia Blyden for defaming President Julius Maada Bio. Police alleged that on diverse dates between 2018 and 2020, Dr. Blyden made several false and defamatory statements against President Bio. She faced ten counts of related defamatory charges contrary to several provisions of the Public Order Act No. 32 of 1965, while Hussein Mukson Sesay, a third year engineering student with whom she is charged, faced one count.
The duo were arraigned before Magistrate Hannah Bonnie at the Freetown Magistrate Court No. 1 on Pademba Road. Exhibit Clerk, Detective Police Constable (DPC) Zainab Isata Kamara recalled being on duty at the CID on 22nd May 2020 when Superintendent Mohamed K. Allieu handed her items he said were discovered at Dr. Blyden’s and Sesay’s residences, including laptops, mobile phones, and a picture of Former President Ernest Bai Koroma. Making a list of the items, DPC Kamara said they included one maroon laptop, one Acer laptop, one red iPad, eight mobile phones, two small computer chargers, one old camera, two card readers, one 4G memory card, and a photograph of the former president.
State counsel, Yusif Isaac Sesay requested for two weeks adjournment after he disclosed having other matters in the provinces to attend to. Defence counsel, Charles Francis Margai did not object to the request. Magistrate Hannah Bonnie noted that the matter had stayed long at the Magistrate Court, which is for preliminary investigations, and adjourned the matter to 14th September 2020.
By Sulaiman Karim Sesay