47-year- old Sheku Bah Conteh was before Magistrate Kekura on Pademba Road Court No.1 in Freetown for an alleged theft of quality copper cables belonging to the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA), valued one hundred and forty seven million, three hundred and sixty thousand Leones.

Concord Times reports that the accused was before the court on one count charge of larceny contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act of 1916.

It was alleged that the accused, Sheku Bah Conteh, on Wednesday 26th January, 2022, at the EDSA Substation in Bo Town, stole quality copper cables valued one hundred and forty seven million, three hundred and sixty thousand Leones, property of EDSA.

Prosecution witness No.2, Mohamed Bashkay Sheriff, testified in court that he recognized the accused in the duck and recalled on the 26th January 2022.

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He said when he was on duty at the office in Bo, one EDSA consumer, Gassimu Brima, gave him information that they had arrested the accused with one roll copper cables and that upon receiving the said information he called his boss, Augustine Tucker.

“My boss asked me to report to the police at Bo Police Station on behalf of EDSA.I went to Bo East Police Station and made a report on behalf of EDSA. At the station, I met the police officers off-loading copper cables from one red van. I asked the police for the accused and I was told the accused was in the blue cell,” he testified.

He said the police informed him that the accused had already been arrested together with the said copper cables in a red van, but that the driver had ran away.

He said he identified the cable as EDSA property and later made statement at the Bo East police station.

Led in evidence by Inspector M.K Taylor, lawyer M. Bangura was defending the second accused person.

During cross examination by the defense counsel, the witness told the court that he was not present when the alleged incident took place.

He told the court that the said cables were not assembled in plastic bags and that they were not easily identifiable because the inscriptions on them were removed.

Prosecution witness No.3, Augustine Tuker, also testified in the same matter.

He identified himself as Chief Distribution Superintendent at EDSA in Bo and that he recognised the accused in the dock and recalled on the 26th day of January, 2022.

He said on that day he was on duty at Bo Power Station when he received a call from prosecution witness No.2, Mohamed Bashkay Sheriff, who provided him with certain pieces of information.

He said upon the receipt of the information, he called the Local Unit Commander, Eastern, Police Bo, who confirmed that they had someone in police custody together with some copper cables.

He said having had that information he drove to the police station where he met the LUC and the police officers who identified the said copper cables to him in a bag.

He said upon that, he called the Regional Manager of EDSA, South and informed him about the incident.

He said the matter was referred to Western Police Station in Bo where he made statement to the police.