At the ongoing High Court criminal call-over session in Freetown, an accused, Alfred Conteh, has been granted bail in the sum of one billion New Leones by the presiding Acting Chief Justice, Nicholas Colin Browne Marke.

Conteh was arraigned on charges of conspiracy to defraud and embezzlement, to which he pleaded not guilty. According to the particulars of the offense, Conteh, who served as an employee at a resort, is alleged to have embezzled and converted an undisclosed carat of gold worth over one billion Leones between 2021 and 2023 in Kabala.

The court has stipulated that Conteh must provide two sureties who each own a property valued at one billion New Leones. Additionally, he is required to surrender his travel documents to the Master and Registrar. The case has been adjourned to September 23, 2024, for trial.

In a separate case, the Acting Chief Justice sentenced Abu Bakarr Mansaray, a person with a disability (PWD), to twelve years in prison for manslaughter. Mansaray, a street beggar, pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing his wife.

Upon arraignment, Mansaray, who appeared on crutches, broke into tears after identifying a photograph of his deceased wife presented by the court. Mansaray confessed that he became violent after his wife refused to cook for him and denied him sexual relations on three occasions.

Given his physical condition, the Acting Chief Justice inquired if the Correctional Center had facilities for PWD inmates. Correctional officers revealed that no such facilities exist, though Don Bosco has been providing some assistance for inmates with special needs.