By Esther Wright
In a high-profile case, seven Lebanese businessmen, including 50-year-old Ali Jaffal, Abdul Jaffal, Abdallah Jaffal, Mohamed Jaffal, Abbas Antar, Naif Antar and Hassan Jaffal, appeared before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at Pademba Road Court No. 2 in Freetown. The defendants are facing seven charges, ranging from wounding and assault occasioning actual bodily harm to affray, throwing missiles and disorderly conduct.
The charges stem from an incident on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at the Young Sports Club (YSC) facility on Wilkinson Road in Freetown. According to the particulars of the offense, the first, second, third, and seventh accused maliciously wounded Adam Hamdan. Additionally, the seventh accused is charged with wounding Mohamed Aroune on the same date and location.
Counts three and four further allege that the first, second, third, and seventh accused caused actual bodily harm to Adam Hamdan and Mohamed Aroune. Count five charges all accused with fighting with the intent to incite public fear, while count six alleges they threw stones and sticks, also to instill fear. The final count accuses them of disorderly conduct in a public place.
The accused pleaded not guilty to all charges.
State Prosecutor, Yusif Isaac Sesay, led the proceedings, calling Sergeant 1079 N’yilla Lassayo as the second prosecution witness. Sergeant Lassayo, attached to the Foreign National Unit at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters in Freetown, detailed the investigation process. She received the case files from the Lumley Police Station on April 6, 2024, and conducted interviews with the accused, recording their statements in English after they were made in Krio.
These statements were read back to the accused, who affirmed their accuracy with their thumbprints.
The court heard that the statements of the accused were duly recorded, produced, and tendered as exhibits in the court records, marked from Exhibit A1-6 to Exhibit H1-2.
Defense counsels Tuma Jabbie and J.A.M.M Amara requested a short adjournment to cross-examine the witness. Magistrate Bangura granted the request and adjourned the case to June 14, 2024.
