By: Audrey Raymonda John
Military personnel of RSLAF who is responsible to provide security at the Queen Elizabeth II quay Cline Town, sub lieutenant Muniyaa Turay has explained on oath before magistrate Sahr Kekura of Ross Road court No.1 how twenty one bags of government and CTC rice were stolen by one Mohamed Jalloh.
The accused Mohamed Jalloh is before the court on case file number C/S 1098/2023 for Preliminary hearing on two count charges of conspiracy to commit felony and larceny contrary to section 2 of the Larceny Act of 1916.
It was alleged on count one that on Wednesday 12th April 2023, at the Queen Elizabeth II quay Cline Town, the accused conspired together with other persons unknown to commit felony.
On count two, the police alleged that on the same date and place the accused did steal twenty one bags of white imported rice valued one hundred and twenty thousand new Leones (Le120,000,00) property of the government of Sierra Leone whilst in custody of one Tejan Sesay.
Led in evidence by sergeant MM Turay, the witness, a military personnel Muniyaa Turay recognized the accused person in the dock.
He said on Wednesday 12th April, 2023, he was deployed at the Queen Elizabeth II quay Cline Town when he received about a truck with registration number APF 636 loaded with CTC and government rice.
He said upon receiving the information he chased the vehicle which was already outside.
The military personnel said he appehend the vehicle in the presence of the accused and called one of the port security by the name of Pratt. He said they were trying to return the vehicle back to the seaport where the rice was stolen when police from Ross Road police station arrived and takes over the matter.
The military personnel further explained that when the vehicle was checked they saw twenty one bags of government rice among the CTC rice.
The military personnel said when he questioned the accused as to where he got the rice, the accused responded that the said riced belongs to one woman whose name he did not mentioned.
He said he was later called to make statement at the police station.
Testing the evidence in cross examination by defence counsel AB Kamara the military personnel in a question directed to him responded that he was given intelligence about the stolen rice.
In another question put to him, the military personnel confirmed that the vehicle was arrested on the 12th April 2023 and taken to the police station.
At the conclusion of cross examination, defense counsel renewed and adopted his previous bail condition for and on behalf of his client. He said up to this time he did not receive any affidavit in opposition to bail from the prosecution which he said the bench should take cognizance of.
Magistrate Sahr Kekura reduced the accused bail and adjourned the matter to Monday the 8th of May 2023 for the second witness to be dock.