By Esther Wright
At the Pademba Road Court No. 2, Police Inspector, Mohamed Jusu, presented a cyber analyst report before Magistrate Bangura regarding the alleged possession of a firearm by a Lebanese national, Ali Jaffal.
Ali Jaffal, making his fifth court appearance, faces six charges including possession of arms without a license, possession of ammunition without a license and other related offenses under Sierra Leonean law. According to the indictment, Ali Jaffal was found with a Makarov pistol and six 9mm rounds at the Young Sports Club facility on Wilkinson Road, Freetown, on April 6, 2024.
State Prosecutor, Yusif Isaac Sesay Esq. led the examination of the Prosecution’s fifth witness, Inspector Mohamed Jusu. Attached to the Cyber Lab Unit at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters on Pademba Road, Inspector Mohamed Jusu is responsible for analyzing electronic devices and reporting his findings. He testified that on April 10, 2024, he received a flash drive from Inspector F.J. Moosa containing a video relevant to the case.
He explained that he used specialized software, Amped 5, to verify the video’s authenticity and confirmed it had not been tampered with. The video, shown in court, depicted Ali Jaffal wearing a white shirt and black shorts, holding a pistol. This footage, along with Mohamed Jusu’s observations and conclusions, was compiled into a report co-signed by Sergeant Foday Lebbie on April 12, 2024. The report and the flash drive were submitted as evidence, marked exhibits L1-4 and M, respectively.
Mohamed Jusu stated that snapshots of Ali Jaffal taken at the Police Station were compared with the video footage to confirm the identity of the individual shown in the video. His analysis concluded that Ali Jaffal was indeed the person in the footage.
Defense Counsel, Tuma Jabbie, requested a short adjournment to cross-examine the witness. Magistrate Bangura granted the request and adjourned the case to June 14, 2024, with Ali Jaffal’s bail continuing.
