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Alhaji Kamara, Alhaji Koroma, Festus Wannie, and Alusine Bangura all of Sky Security guards have appeared for the second time before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Ross Road Court No.1 in Freetown for allegedly breaking into a store situated at Fire Force in the east of Freetown and stealing building materials totaling NLe149.170 from there.
The accused appeared before the court on two charges of Conspiracy and Store Breaking and Larceny contrary to section 26 (1) of the Larceny Act of 1916. It was alleged by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) that the accused, on the same date and place in Freetown, conspired with unknown persons to break into the store and steal from there.
The Police are claiming that the accused on Thursday 20th July 2023 at Funnah Factory, situated at Devil Hole in Rokel on the outskirts of Freetown broke Ibrahim Leigh’s store and stole 20 lengths of metal bars, with a value of NLe28,500 and other valuables estimated at NLel48,170 belonging the complainant.
Led in evidence by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Osman M. Bangura, the first prosecution witness, Ibrahim Leigh, recognized the first accused as a security guard working in his shop, but he knew the second, third, and fourth accused in respect of the matter.
He went on to inform the court that on Thursday 20th, 2023, he was at home when he received information from an unknown person about his store, and added that upon receipt of the information, he immediately left the crime scene, adding that upon his arrived at the crime scene, he discovered his store has been broken into, and also that the first accused was nowhere to be found.
He informed the court that he reported the matter to the Security Company for whom the accused was acting as an agent, noting that one Mr. Vandi working for the said agency later came to the crime scene.
Before the arrival of the first accused’s boss, Mr Vandi, the first accused showed up at the crime scene.
He said, the accused and Mr. Vandi entered the store and discovered that the store had been ransacked and cash of NLe28,500 had been stolen from a drawer and other valuables carted away.
He noted that he discovered some money on the floor, eight pieces of steel plates, 21 pieces of design plates, PVC pipes, and other valuables totaling NLe149,170. He said that the accused was subsequently arrested and taken to Rokel Police Post and made a report.
He said he and two police officers visited the crime scene at Fire Force and took photographs which were developed into pictures.
The pictures were produced and tendered for identification He said that he later went to the said post where the second, third, and fourth accused were identified to him as accomplices, Defense counsel Emmanuel Conteh, representing the first accused, started cross-examining the witness.
Lawyer A.B. Kamara represented the second, third, and fourth accused persons. At this stage Magistrate Sahr Kekura adjourned the matter for further cross-examination The accused were refused bail and remanded at the Male Correctional Center in Freetown.
