By: Audrey Raymonda John
Magistrate Kekura of Ross Road Court No.1 has granted five hundred thousand Leones (NLe500, 000.00) bail to sixty (60) years old Fulani, Momodu Bah with two sureties in like.
The bail conditions further state that sureties should reside in Freetown and furnished the court with a NASSIT Id card and bail should be approved by the Deputy Master and Registrar.
The 60 years old man who was arrested by Detective Police Constable 17845 Koroma M and it was alleged that the accused broke into Rahim Mohamed’s Foreing Exchange Bereau situated at Calaba Town Freetown, and stole one hundred thousand and fifty-two thousand hundred Leones (NLe152, 400).
The accused person appeared before the court for on a count charge of housebreaking and larceny contrary to law.
It was alleged that the accused, on Monday 29th May 2023 at K- Step Calaba Town in Freetown broke into the complainant’s Foreign Exchange Bearua at the aforesaid place and stole therein certain valuables worth thousands of Leones.
The police prosecutor Police Constable (PC) 14032 Koroma E.F has led two witnesses.
In his evidence in chief prosecution witness (PW) 2, Mason Amara Musa residing at Orugu Allen Town in Freetown, knew the complainant as his boss and recognized the accused as a security guard manning for the complainant’s office at the aforesaid place in Freetown.
Musa said he could recall 29 May 2023.
On the said date in the morning, he went to do enquiry from him, who also happens to be complainant if they were going to work on that particular day.
The witness said the complainant’s wife whose name was not mentioned, gave him information that theft had occurred at the said office.
“Upon receipt of the information I instantly left for the crime, upon my arrival, I saw the accused. When I interrogated him in respect of the incident, he told me that he was asleep by 3am,” PW narrated to the bench.
The witness added at the crime scene, he discovered that the door leading to the said office was damaged and the entire office was ransacked, adding that also observed that television, laptops have been carted away.
After few seconds he said the complainant arrived at the crime scene noting that he and the complainant left for Calaba Town and reported the matter against the accused.
PW2 continued that he, the complainant and a team of police officers visited the crime scene and took photographs.
The accused was invited at the said station, disclosing that in his presence, when the police interrogated the accused told them that he was residing at K-Step in Freetown.
He said he and police officers left for the accused’s residence K- Step axis.
The witness said when they arrived at the said residence; an old woman gave them information that the accused had left the said place for the past two years.
He said the accused led them again to another residence in Yams Farm, but the accused’s wife, whose name was not disclosed, told them since then she had transferred at the said residence, she had not set eyes on the accused for the three months.
Musa rounded up his evidence that he made a statement to the police at the Calaba Town Station.
Defence Counsel Solomon Maada Gbongboto cross examined the witness on behalf of his client, and the matter to 3rd August 2023 for further hearing.