Chief Justice Commences ‘Call Over’ for 94 Criminal Cases

By Janet Sam-Kobba

In a move which marked the opening of the September 2024 High Court criminal session, the Acting Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, Nicholas C. Browne-Marke has commenced court proceedings, also called “call over”, for 94 cases brought before the court.

This event took place on 17^th September, at the Sierra Leone Judiciary Main Law Courts building in Freetown. The sessions were preceded by a formal guard of honor mounted by the Sierra Leone police.

The criminal session is held four times every year.

The “call over” of cases is done with the intent of addressing pleas of all accused persons that are committed for trial by magistrate courts. It is also for the purpose of addressing those whose indictments were chosen with the approval in writing of a judge.

In the case where an accused pleads guilty to the offense he was charged with, the presiding judge will go on to sentence the person.

The 94 cases included murder, treason, conspiracy, robbery with aggravation, house and office breaking, larceny, fraudulent conversations, wounding with intent and unlawful possession of drugs.

The sessions record shows that among the 94 accused persons, seven cases involving eight accessed persons were prosecuted for the offense of murder, and eight cases of robbery with aggravation. Thirty-eight other files involved 46 accused indicted for various forms of Larceny, making it top on the list of offenses for the September session.

Among the cases heard was the case of 49-year old George Adams, who was indicted for treason, Misprision of Treason and Murder, which he pleaded not guilty. The state alleged that the accused on an unknown date around 11^th November last year prepared to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone.

Mr Adams was also accused, along with other unknown persons, of conspiring to seize and take control of the 5^th Battalion Headquarters at Wilberforce Barracks, the Joint Force Command Headquarters  at Cockerill Barracks, the 3^rd Infantry Brigade Headquarters at Murray Town Barracks, the Sierra Leone Correctional Centers in Freetown, the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation Establishment at New England, all in Freetown, with the intention to overthrow and take charge of the government of Sierra Leone through unlawful means.

A 22-year-old plumber, Santigie Mansaray, pleaded guilty to house breaking and larceny and he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

Two other accused, Yusif Tholley, a 23-year old security guard, Alimamy Bandura, a 27-year old Laborer, both also pleaded guilty to the offense of office breaking and larceny and were sentenced to five years imprisonment each.

Janet Sam-Kobba is an intern at ManoReporters and she is a final year student at the Mass Communication Department at Central University in Mile 91.