After spending a little over two hours in engaging themselves, twelve jurors in the treason trial against Retired Major Alfred Palo Conteh, Saa Sinnah and Prince George Hughes returned with a verdict of not guilty of treason for all accused persons on Wednesday 1st July 2020.
While reading the outcome of their meeting, fore man of the jury panel, Willie Sylvanus Collier announced a verdict of not guilty for all fourteen count charges including the treason charges but the first accused was found guilty on count 10 and 11 for unlawful possession of small arms.
Defense Lawyer of the first accused, Joseph F. Kamara in his plea in mitigation among other things appealed to the judge’s reasoning that the first accused has served Sierra Leone as a military officer, a defense minister on two occasions and at some point addressed the issue of lawlessness in Freetown.
He informed the judge that the first accused has already spent some time in prison and that his 8 year old son few days ago asked his mum when his dad would be going home. Lawyer Kamara further canvased the judge to fine the accused person rather than sentencing him to prison.
In delivering his sentence, presiding Judge, Justice Momo Jah Steven acquitted and discharged the second and third accused persons on all counts but rendered a custodian sentence for the first accused on count 10 and 11 to 24 months in prison.
Prior to the verdict, Justice Steven in his sixty-four pages summoning up address admonished the jurors that the burden of proof rests on the prosecution and they should not return a verdict of conviction if there is any doubt in the evidence tendered by the prosecution, but they should do so if the prosecution proved their case beyond all reasonable doubt.
He further defined treason to the jurors as an act of betraying the trust of the country to overthrow, attempting to kill or kill the President.
He said there is a ruling in the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone in which an attempt at assassinating former President Joseph Saidu Momoh at Hill Cot Road was considered to be a treasonable offense.
There is no indication yet whether the prosecution or defence will appeal as there is a 21 days period within which such papers should be filed.
