By: Edrie Caleb John
On Monday, September 9, 2024, the prosecution presented a witness in the ongoing bomb-making trial at Court No. 2 in Freetown, presided over by Magistrate Santigie Bangura. The witness, Samuel Marrah, is an employee of Infinity Trading Company.
Marrah testified that he met the first accused, Hussein Antar, at the company’s office on Wilkinson Road. Antar requested assistance with shipping containers, and Marrah introduced him to Ibrahim Bashiru Kamara, who could help with the clearance process.
Marrah provided Antar with the company’s name (JTK) to use for shipping, and Antar sent him a copy of the bill of lading and invoice. Marrah forwarded the documents to Kamara, who sent a receipt for the invoice totaling Le 300,000.
Marrah received Le 270,000 from Antar and delivered it to Kamara to initiate the clearance process. He later received the balance of Le 30,000 from Antar through the third accused, Suliaman Barrie.
The defense counsel requested an adjournment to cross-examine the witness. The accused face 30 counts, including conspiracy, providing funds for transporting chemical weapons, and importing arms manufacturing material without a license.
The indictment alleges that the accused conspired to commit an offense by providing funds for transporting chemical weapons without a license. They are also accused of importing and possessing arms manufacturing material without a license, aiding and abetting the commission of an offense, and perverting the course of justice.
The case has been adjourned until Wednesday, September 11, 2024, and the accused have been remanded in custody.
