The High Court of Freetown is set to hear the case of Reverend Fatoma Tommy Jusu, who faces charges of operating a private security agency without a valid license. This decision follows a ruling by Magistrate Santigie Bangura at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 2, where Pastor Jusu was charged with one count of operating a private security agency without proper authorization.
The case against Pastor Jusu arose from an incident on July 5, 2024, when he was discovered operating a security agency at #59C Leicester Road, Freetown, without a valid license from the Office of National Security (ONS), as per the police report.
After the prosecution presented its case, including testimony from five witnesses, Magistrate Bangura determined that sufficient evidence existed to commit Pastor Jusu to the High Court for trial. The prosecution's witnesses provided testimony that linked the accused to the unlawful operation of a security agency.
During the ruling, Magistrate Bangura emphasized the criteria for committing an accused individual to trial, noting that in a preliminary investigation, the court seeks prima facie evidence connecting the accused to the alleged crime. He highlighted that the burden of proof rested upon the prosecution to demonstrate that:
The accused operated a private security company.
The accused did so without proper authorization or a valid license.
Testimony from the prosecution's witnesses reinforced the case. Witness PW1 testified that Pastor Jusu claimed to run an efficient security service with 37 guards stationed at various locations. Witness PW2 corroborated this information, confirming that Pastor Jusu admitted to managing a security agency with 30 guards at five different sites, though he had not yet completed the registration process with the ONS.
PW3, an official responsible for registering private security companies at ONS, testified that a complaint had been filed against Pastor Jusu, accusing him of failing to pay an employee at Southern Lion Security and Logistics Services, a company that Pastor Jusu allegedly owned. The complainant provided documentation, including a guarantor form, linking Reverend Jusu to the security company. During an inquiry, Pastor Jusu acknowledged that he had 14 guards working for clients such as the Islamic College, an Evangelical Church, and an electronics store.
Based on this testimony, Magistrate Bangura ruled that sufficient evidence existed for Pastor Jusu to answer in the High Court.
Before committing the case to the High Court, defense counsel Chernor Kamara renewed a previous bail application on behalf of Pastor Jusu. However, Magistrate Bangura denied the request, citing concerns about the public interest, and ordered Pastor Jusu to remain in custody until his trial.
The case will now proceed to the High Court, where Pastor Jusu will face trial for operating a private security company without proper licensing.
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