A local businessman named Alhaji Conteh has been sentenced to 30 years imprisonment by Magistrate Mark Ngegba at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court in Freetown.

According to the police, Conteh was accused of six offences including fraudulent conversion of several goods entrusted to him.

Police said the local businessman between 2020 and 2021 converted goods including building materials, imported crates of water, mattresses and other valuables believed to worth over 1 billion Old Leones to his own use.

Police investigation revealed that some of the goods are believed to be supplied to Conteh for sale and some for delivery to customers.

Conteh, who was not represented in court by a lawyer saw his plea for mercy turned down by the magistrate.

Consequently, there was no plea in mitigation for and on behalf of Conteh during the preliminary trial.

Magistrate Ngegba concluded that the businessman was guilty of the offences alleged by the police.

The Magistrate sentenced the accused to five years for each of the six offences while highlighting that they will run concurrently.