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Magistrate Mark Ngegba, who presides over at the Pademba Road Court No. 2, has remanded Abdul Raman Sesay, former Manager of the National Petroleum (NP) branch, at Wilberforce in Freetown, for allegedly stealing seventy five million, seven hundred thousand Leones (Le75,700,000) from the National Petroleum (NP).
Led in evidence by Inspector Alhaji Tejan Bangura, PW1, Andrew Augustus Koroma, a dealer in petroleum, told the court that he recognized the accused as former Manager of NP. He said he could recall Friday 5th October 2018.
“On that day, I went to the National Petroleum branch at Wilberforce in Freetown, to conduct an inspection. After the inspection, I demanded seventy five million, seven hundred thousand Leones (Le75,700,000) from the accused,” PW1 said.
According to him, he gave a cupboard to the accused for keeping money.
“When I demanded for the said money, he told me to wait. But later he went to buy water. I waited and waited for him, but he did not come,” Mr. Koroma detailed the bench.
The witness said an unknown person later told him about the whereabouts of the accused.
“I called him, through my cell phone, and asked him to come for us to continue with the business. But he told me that he was at Jui in Freetown. I reported the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Pademba Road in Freetown,” the witness disclosed to the court.
The witness further testified that he made a statement to the police, adding that he and a team of detective police officers, from the Criminal Investigation Department, visited the crime scene at Wilberforce in Freetown.
He said when they arrived, the office was locked. But some police officers broke in and checked inside the cupboard.
“It was completely empty,” Mr. Koroma said, adding that the police officers took some photographs, following which a warrant of arrest was issued against the accused,” PW1 explained to the court.
The witness concluded his evidence, noting that he provided a vehicle for police officers to execute the warrant.
“When the police officers went at the accused’s residence, to execute the warrant, he was nowhere to be found. Since then he has been on the run until when he was apprehended in 2021,” he rounded his testimony.
The accused is before the court for the offences of larceny and larceny by servant, which are all contrary to the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the charge sheet, Abdulraman Sesay, on Friday the 5th October 2018, at Wilberforce in Freetown, stole seventy five million, seven hundred thousand Leones (Le75,700,000) from the National Petroleum (NP).
The defence counsel, M.M. Amara, applied for bail on behalf of the accused. He made his application pursuant to Section 79 of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 32 of 1965 and also Section 23 (4) of the 1991 Constitution.
The accused was denied bail and sent on remand at the Male Correctional Centre, Pademba Road in Freetown, and the matter was adjourned to 11th August, 2021.
