Corruption stinks at Kambia Magistrate’s Court
A report of corruption in the highest degree has been made available to the desk of the Sierra Express Media. Sources say that the magistrate of the Kambia Magistrate’s Court, A.T. Ghanda is using his office to marginalize the poor at the expense of the rich. A clear indication is the issue of an accused person Mohamed Alie Dumbuya a teacher of the Kambia Islamic Federation Secondary School on the grounds of threaten remarks.
On the 11th December 2009 a six month jail sentence was handed down without an alternative fine. After persistent pressure from the Office of National Security, Civil Society and Elders of the township the accused was later fined the sum of Le 800,000 which was paid on the same day with Magistrate Ghanda deliberately refusing to order the release of the poor teacher until 17th December 2009.
Confirmed source states that the complainant Rugiatu Dumbuya and his financial surety Aamed Kudsay were dissatisfied with the magistrate bowing down to the pressure from the ONS, Civil Societies and Elders of the township. This resulted to request for the reimbursement of an alleged sum of $1,000 that was doled out to I.T. Ghanda. Because the magistrate was unable to refund the said amount at that time he instead went on to double the punishment of the accused Mohamed Alie Dumbuya by banning him over peace for a period of one year and must not sue anybody and that at any time he Mohamed Alie Dumbuya is brought to court will face a jail sentence. As a result of the statement the poor teacher had to abandon his own house with a family of eleven dependants.
On the 20th December 2009, the accused wrote a letter of complaint to the Chief Justice Madam Umu Tejan Jalloh and copied the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abdul Serry Kamal over an unfair trial and human rights violation as not a single action was taken by the authorities concerned.
A formal complaint was also made to the Anti Corruption Commission on the issue relating to the unfair trial, exorbitant fine and violation of human rights but little effort was done by the Commission to look into the cry of the teacher. Photocopies of receipt of court fines in hand writing acknowledging payment are in the possession of SEM.
More on the story to follow.
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