By: Audrey Raymonda John
Prince Kamara on Monday 3rd April 2023 made another appearance before the principal Magistrate of the Freetown Magistrate Court no.1 magistrate Mark Ngeba as he was alleged of receiving stolen military ambulance from Josy who purported himself as to be the minister of internal affairs Panda Noah.
The accused was standing trial before the court one count charges of receiving stolen goods contrary to section 33 (1) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of offence, the accused on Monday 26 September 2022 at Waterloo did received a Military Toyota Land Gusher Ambulance with registration number 70SL79 valued three million three hundred thousand Leones(NLe 3,3000,000) from Josy Koroma knowing to have been stolen property of the Sierra Leone Armed forces.
In his testimony, Doctor Steven Sylverlie Medical doctor at 34 military hospital said he knew the accused in the matter and recall on Monday 26 September 2022.
He said on that day, he was at the hospital in a zoom meeting and he receives a call from someone who claims to be the minister of internal affairs Panda Noah.
The witness furthered that the purported minister said he has burial and he needs an ambulance to carry the body upcountry for burial.
Doctor Sylverlie said he told the purported minister that he is in a meeting but the person insisted that he urgently need the ambulance and he instructed the transport officer at the hospital W.O 2 to hand over the ambulance to the purported minister which he did.
He said the next morning he got an information about the ambulance and he reported the matter to the criminal investigation department.
The witness further that they as military personnel started another investigation about the ambulance and they started getting bits information about the ambulance.
He continues that base upon intelligence they were able to know the house where the so call minister was.
He said the house is at Waterloo and when they visited the house they found out that the purported minister has different names and when he saw them he ran away and they arrested his wife and took her to the Waterloo police station.
He said upon information the ambulance was taken to a particular house and was dismantled.
He said the accused was later arrested and was detained at the criminal investigation department Headquarters.
He said at the police station the accused produced the engine and one tire of the vehicle and he made statement to the police.
He said the engine and the tire is in the custody of the police
The witness was cross examined by defense Counsel A. Turay.
The accused is on bail but could not meet the bail condition; the matter comes up on 17th April 2023.