KEY POINTS IN THE ADDRESS TO THE #JURORS BY THE DEFENCE & PROSECUTION IN THE ALLEGED #TREASON TRIAL.
Dr. Abdulai Conteh, the lead defence counsel for Rtd Major Palo Conteh, addressed the 12 jurors yesterday, the 29th of June, 2020. Lawyer Adrian Fisher, addressed the jurors on behalf of the state.
Below, I’ll highlight the key points from both teams, as reported by Osman Kamara, which I believe are crucial. They have both encouraged the jurors to look into the evidences thoroughly.
DR. ABDULAI O. CONTEH (Defence Counsel)
🧨 The State has not shown any evidence to prove that Palo Conteh went to State House to assassinate President Bio.
🧨 It is because Palo had a brown bag with him containing a pistol, that’s why the state is charging him with treason.
🧨 Palo was not at State House to gossip, he was invited by President Bio to help fight the #coronavirus because he believes in him.
🧨 Palo Conteh was not thinking of anything to disturb the #peace and #security in the country.
🧨 One man cannot commit treason. Palo Conteh is not #JamesBond to do such act.
🧨 The State could not show any group who Palo Conteh was working with to #overthrow the government.
🧨 All the allegations against Palo Conteh are false.
🧨 The State has not been able to show the video of what happened during the time Palo Conteh went to State House. It shows the State made false #allegations against Palo.
🧨 The gun Palo had was licensed to protect himself because the government had removed all his #security as a former minister.
🧨 Palo Conteh is not a ‘murrayman’ (fetish man) to know that President Bio will call him to State House.
LAWYER ADRIAN FISHER (State Prosecutor).
🧨 All what the defence put in their address is not important.
🧨 #Evidence proves that Palo Conteh is guilty of all the charges.
🧨 The defence in their address said one man cannot commit treason but it has happened in #SierraLeone.
🧨 Mentions Foday Sankoh, Omrie Golley and others who were charged with treason by the state. What the defence said is not true.
🧨 Palo Conteh is a trained soldier and has been to #Libya for two years and is capable of doing the things that the state has charged him with.
🧨 President Bio had confidence in him that is why he asked him to help fight the coronavirus, but Palo Conteh went with a different intention which is to #assassinate President Bio.
🧨 There is no #law which says former ministers must have security. If all former ministers have security, there will be no security force to protect the people of Sierra Leone.
🧨 Why did Palo Conteh not leave his gun at home? He knew he was to meet with President Bio.
🧨 The #CCTV camera which the defence said we do not want to produce, does not matter, because all they need to know, which happened at State House, has been said by the witnesses. CCTV camera is not important.
🧨 Hughes and Sinnah (2nd and 3rd accused) were not honest and lied that they have known Palo Conteh for 60 years.
🧨 Sinnah gave license to Palo Conteh because of their friendship.
🧨 It is because Palo Conteh knows that his plans to assassinate President Bio had failed, that is why he cried in court.
🧨 The guiltiness is shining on the three accused like the sun.
The lawyers for the 2nd and 3rd accused persons will address the jurors today.
The trial continues….
