A magistrate court in Freetown has reportedly issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a contractor accused in an ongoing case involving the alleged theft of a municipal asset belonging to the Freetown City Council (FCC).

Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah, presiding over Pademba Road Court No. 1, on Monday formally ordered the apprehension of Ernest Allieu, identified as the fifth defendant in the matter.

The warrant was issued after Allieu failed to appear in court in connection with charges relating to the receipt of stolen property. The case forms part of an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of municipal property belonging to the FCC.

According to the prosecution, the matter involves three counts: conspiracy to commit a felony, larceny contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act of 1916, and receiving stolen property contrary to Section 33(1)(b) of the same Act.

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Those charged in the matter are Mohamed Allieu Jalloh, 38, an Information Technology technician; Alie Kamara, 55, a businessman; Musa Turay, 35, also a businessman; Sorie Sesay, 36, a military officer; and Ernest Allieu, 49, a contractor.

Prosecutors allege that between July 11 and September 16, 2025, at Queen Elizabeth Road in Kissy Dock Yard, the defendants conspired to unlawfully take possession of a lowbed trailer with registration number AVT 807. The trailer, valued at approximately 105,000 United States dollars-equivalent to more than 2.4 million Leones-belongs to the Freetown City Council.

The fifth defendant, Ernest Allieu, is specifically accused of unlawfully receiving and possessing the stolen trailer. During Monday’s proceedings, the charges were not read in court because of Allieu’s absence, resulting in procedural delays in the case.

Defense counsel, including S.M. Fomba Esq., applied for the release of the accused persons, arguing that a formal bail application could only be made after the charges had been read to the defendants. The defense maintained that the current situation required the court to either grant immediate relief to the accused or hand them over to their legal representatives.

Magistrate Jah, however, rejected the defense’s argument, stating that the court still retains jurisdiction over the matter even if the charges have not yet been read in the criminal proceedings.

Following the ruling, the magistrate issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Ernest Allieu to compel his appearance before the court. The case was subsequently adjourned and is scheduled to continue on March 16, 2026.