Sierra Leone News: Magistrate Bonnie Warns Police Officers from TOCU
By Isabella Cassell
The Presiding Magistrate of Court №1, Hannah Bonnie on Tuesday July 30, 2019, cautioned officers from the Transnational Organized Crime Units (TOCU) to treat their work with much seriousness.
This warning came as a result of several adjournments made in a matter that was charged to court by the Transnational Organized Crime Units (TOCU), involving 38 persons that were transported from Sierra Leone to Niger.
Magistrate Bonnie stated that, the officers are bringing to court very serious matters and at the end of the day failed to prosecute.
She said the public have interest in such matters and they want to see how these matters end up or wants to know what the judiciary does towards such matters.
She said with regards to that, she is going prepare a whole report and send a copy to the Inspector General of Police with regards to the behaviour of the Officers in TOCU.
Magistrate Bonnie said before she writes the report, she wants to see some serious actions taken by the officers.
The accused in this matter, Sheka Ahmed Kalokoh was arrested on May, 18, 2019, by DPC 13112 and was charged with the offence of conspiracy to commit human trafficking contrary to section 18 of the Anti- Human Trafficking Act No 7 of 2005.
It was alleged that on April 1, 2019, and on diverse days between that day and May 13,2019, at Freetown, the accused conspired with other persons unknown to commit an offence of trafficking in persons by transferring 36 persons from Freetown to Niamey, Niger, via Conakry by means of deception.
The 36 people include: Kabba Bangura, Mohamed Bangura, Sorie Kargbo, Amara Thomas, Sorie Karim Koroma, Sheku Koroma, Abdulai Mansaray, Mohamed Conteh, Ibrahim Kalokoh, Alie Kamara, Suilaiman Bangura, Bai Kamara, Mohamed Kalokoh, Saidu Bangura, Victor Koroma, Abdul Kuyateh, Hassan Mansaray, Mohamed Kanu, Mohamed Kamara, Amadu Sesay, Abdulai Komeh, Kabba Bangura, Dauda Santigie Bangura, Sallieu Hassan Koroma, Ibrahim Sorie Kamara, Ibrahim Kargbo, Ibrahim Sorie Sesay, Ibrahim Fadika, Foday Koroma, Sembu Sally Sankoh, Hassan Koroma, Santigie Kamara, Abdul Koroma, Abu Kamara, Hassan Yillah, Mohamed Karim Kamara, Sallieu Mansaray, Bai Kamara.
The matter was adjourned to August 19, 2019.
