AYV News, February 6, 2025
High Court Judge, Honourable Justice Alfred T. Ganda (J) has ended proceedings (Call Over) with ten convictions from among twenty one (21) criminal cases brought before the High Court, marking the opening of the January 2025 High Court Criminal Calendar.
The High Court ‘call over’ of cases is for the purpose of the Presiding Judge taking the pleas of all accused persons committed for trial by Magistrates’ Courts, and those whose indictments were preferred with the consent in writing of a Judge. Where an accused person has pleaded guilty to any offence, the Presiding Judge is entitled to proceed to sentencing. Where there’s been a not guilty plea, the Presiding Judge adjourned the case to a specific date for trial.
Twenty eight (28) accused persons are before the court for various criminal offences including treason and misprision of treason, conspiracy, murder, larceny (house & office breaking), unlawful possession of drugs, and possession of small arms without license among others. The record reveals that eight (8) cases involving nine (9) accused persons were indicted for unlawful possession of drugs, putting it top on the list of offences committed for this session.
Additionally, there are six (6) other files with eleven (11) accused persons indicted for various forms of larceny, one (1) involving two (2) accused persons for the offence of treason and misprision of treason, two (2) involving two (2) accused persons for the offence of possession of small arms without license, three (3) files involving three accused persons for murder, and a case of obtaining money by false pretence.
38-year old Samuel Conteh who pleaded guilty to the offence of House Breaking and Larceny was convicted and sentenced to three (3) years imprisonment with effect from 15th August 2024. Junior Frank Lewis also pleaded guilty of the offence of Larceny and was sentenced to seven (7) years imprisonment. Convicted of the offence of Unlawful Possession of Drugs after their guilty plea, Mohamed Lamin Conteh and Osman Jalloh who were jointly charged were both sentenced to six (6) years imprisonment each while Musa Samura received a seven (7) year jail term.
Tejan Deen Conteh, Ibrahim Sorie Kamara, Michael Kanu, Chernor Conteh, and Aruna Turay were all convicted and sentenced accordingly.
The Criminal Session comes four times every year, and it gives the opportunity to accused persons whose cases are committed to the High Court through an indictment to have their day in court.
