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The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Southern Lion Security Company and Logistics, situated at Leicester Road back of Muslim Brotherhood Secondary School in Freetown, Pastor Fatormah Tommy Jusu has been accused of operating a private security company without a valid license.
Pastor Fatormah Tommy Jusu is now an accused person before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.2 answering to Preliminary Investigation (PI) on one count of operating a private security without license.
The accused who made his appearance in court on Wednesday, 14th August, 2024 was denied bail by the sitting Magistrate.
Ms. Musu Rosaline Conteh attached to the registration and licensing of private security companies in Sierra Leone at the Office of National Security (ONS) was led in evidence by the State Prosecutor Yusuf Isaac Sesay.
The third prosecution witness Ms. Musu Rosaline Conteh said she recalled on Wednesday, August 14th 2014, that she was in her office when an unknown person reported a complaint against the CEO of Southern Lion Security Company and Logistics, who he alleged did not pay him his salary for three months of service for the company.
She said the complainant went on to produce a guarantor form bearing the name of the company, two contact numbers and the companyโs address.
The witness furthered that after the complainant had left her office, she called one of the mobile phone numbers on the form provided by the complainant, and it was the now accused person that responded to the call.
According to the witness, while on the phone she made a cover-up story that she wanted to hire ten security guards. And it was then the accused said he was the owner of the security company.
The accused gave her the address of the company and they agreed to meet on the following day of July 5th this year at 10:00am. On that date, the witness said the accused called her on her mobile phone reminding her about the said appointment.
The witness told the court that her office, ONS, organised a team, which she described as Integrated Intelligent Security (IIS), which embarked on an operation to meet him at Model Junction.
Ms. Conteh said she told Mr Jusu that her manager, driver and another officer from her office would meet him at Model junction. The team left for Model Junction and within ten minutes they returned with the now accused.
In her conversation with the accused in her office she asked the accused if he was aware of a press release by ONS that no one should operate a private security without a valid license from ONS. The accused answered in the affirmative.
The accused confirmed to have started operating the security company on August 8th, 2023 and that he had fourteen security guards and three clients at the time.
The witness was crossed examined by Defense Counsel, and Magistrate Bangura has adjourned the matter to 21st August, 2024 for further hearing.
