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Two men have been remanded in custody following their appearance before the Freetown Magistrate Court on charges of breaking into the Guoji Company offices and stealing substantial cash.
Abu Sankoh, 22, a plumber, and Alie Alhassan Kabia, 45, a marketer, appeared before Magistrate Mustapha Brima Jah facing charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and breaking and entering with larceny.
The charges are brought under Section 26(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the prosecution, the alleged incident occurred on Friday, 3 July 2026, at the former National Workshop in Cline Town, within the Western Area of Freetown.
The accused are alleged to have forced entry into the Guoji Company office and stolen cash belonging to the company, amounting to US$43,000 and Le1,092,000.
When the charges were read and explained to the accused persons, no plea was taken. The court is handling the matter as a committal proceeding, a preliminary stage where magistrates assess whether sufficient evidence exists for the case to be sent to a higher court for trial.
Representing the prosecution, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Eric A. Deen informed the court that the relevant case documents and inquiry files had been served on the accused persons and their legal representatives.
Defence counsel I. Conteh Esq. applied for bail on behalf of the accused, telling the court that reliable sureties were available and willing to enter into recognisance to guarantee the defendants’ attendance throughout the proceedings.
Counsel assured the court that the proposed sureties would ensure the accused persons attended future hearings and would not interfere with prosecution witnesses. He relied on provisions under Section 76(1)(c) of the Criminal Procedure Act of 2024 in support of the bail application.
However, Magistrate Jah refused the bail request, citing the seriousness and nature of the allegations before the court.
The court subsequently ordered that both accused persons remain in custody at the Male Correctional Facility until the next hearing.
The matter has been adjourned to 30 July 2026 for further proceedings.
