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Sallieu Barrie, a school pupil from Milton Margai Section in Kenema, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment by Justice Abubakarr Sannoh of the High Court in Kenema for shop-breaking and larceny. The charges were brought under Section 26(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to court records, on May 6, 2024, Barrie broke into a shop belonging to Morie Kamara in Kenema City with the intent to steal.
Items stolen included a Techno Spark 4 mobile phone valued at NLe1,500, property of Kennie Bobor, three Itel manual mobile phones worth NLe1,050, belonging to Foday Kallon, and a solar Bluetooth player valued at NLe250, owned by Yatta Momoh. All items, valued at a total of NLe2,800, were under the custody of shop owner Morie Kamara.
After the charges were read in English and explained in Krio, Barrie pleaded guilty to the offenses and asked for mercy.
His defense team, led by Patrick Kamara of the Legal Aid Board in Kenema and Joseph Bandabla Dauda (JBD), who serves as Duty Counsel for AdvocAid, highlighted Barrie’s status as a first-time offender, his age as a school pupil, and his willingness to cooperate with the court.
Justice Sannoh took these mitigating factors into account during sentencing, acknowledging Barrie’s age and status as a student, as well as his plea, which saved the court’s time.
Despite these considerations, the court emphasized the gravity of the crime and sentenced Barrie to three years at the Sierra Leone Correctional Centre in Kenema, effective from May 6, 2024.
The prosecution was led by State Counsel and Customary Law Officer Andrew F. Kamara, while Barrie’s defense emphasized the importance of rehabilitation and the challenges faced by young offenders in conflict with the law.
