High Court Revokes Bail of Jehad Basma And Others For 264 Carats Diamond Fraud

Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2, High Court has revoked the bail granted to Jehad Basma, Sheku Kabba and Tamba Lebbie for alleged 264 carats of Diamond fraud.

At the hearing, the State Council, Yusuf Isaac Sesay told the court of the absent of the witness and presented the court an order from the High Court written by Honourable Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens instructing the Magistrate to rescind the bail of the accused and further that they should not be granted bail pending the hearing and determination of the matter at the Magistrate Court.

He continued that the court below never granted bail to the accused persons, rather bail was granted to them at the High Court by Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens on the 29th August, 2024 but has been taken back.

He said the High Court on 2nd October, 2024 revoked their bail and should not be granted until the matter finishes at the Magistrate Court.

Lawyer Sesay said it is contemptuous for the lower court to interfere with the order given at the High Court, adding that such order is unquestionable.

In his reply, Defense Counsel, Jesse M Jengo Esq. said he is far too senior to touch an order coming from the High Court. After the legal argument Magistrate Santigie Bangura said he has no power to interfere with an order given by the High Court.

He then ordered the accused to be remanded in custody and the matter adjourned to the today 9th October, 2024.

Earlier on, Sheku Kabba, Tamba Lebbie, and Jehad Basma were arraigned before the court on three counts of Conspiracy contrary to Law, Embezzlement contrary to Section 17 (1) (b) of the Larceny Act of 1916 and Receiving Stolen Goods contrary to Section 33 (1) (a) of the Larceny Act of 1916.

The charge sheet indicated that the accused Sheku Kabba and Tamba Lebbie on a date unknown between the 20th to 26th May 2024 at Moryonfeh Village, Kono District, with intent to defraud, conspired with other persons unknown to commit a crime to wit embezzlement.

On count 2, the accused persons; Sheku Kabba and Tamba Lebbie on the same date and place fraudulently embezzled one piece of diamond weighing two hundred and sixty-four carats of an estimated value of forty-two million, two hundred and forty thousand United States dollars equivalent to one billion, three million and two hundred thousand Leones (1,003,200,000) property of Benjamin Merer.

Count 3 furthered that Jehad Basma on the same date and place did receive one piece of diamond knowing to have been stolen.