By: Audrey Raymonda John
Mohamed Arafat Sahara Munda a customer service officer at Rokel Commercial Bank Bo branch and two others on Thursday 28 September 2023 made their second appearance before the principal Magistrate of the Freetown Magistrate Court No 1 Magistrate Mark Ngeba for the alleged theft of two hundred and seventy-five (275) thousand new Leones from an account of the bank.
The accused Mohamed Arafat Sahara Munda, Mohamed Munda Tarleh and Edison Brima Mohamed were arraigned before the court on nineteen count charges ranging from Conspiracy to defraud, larceny by servant contrary to section 17(1(a) of the larceny Act 1916, causing money to be paid by means of fraud and other related offences all contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
Police alleged that the accused on Friday 18 August 2023, at Rokel Commercial Bank Bojon Street in Bo conspired together to defraud the Bank the sum of two hundred and seventy five thousand new Leones.
It was further alleged that the first accused Mohamed Arafat Sahara Munda on diverse dates between June and August 2023, at the same bank being a customer service officer employed by the bank stole the sum of 275 thousand new Leones from the bank accounts number 1803619809001 operated by Musa Kanteh now deceased property of Rokel Commercial Bank.
The police also alleged that the accused on the same dates and place with intent to defraud unlawfully cause money to be paid by Mohamed Munda Tarleh and Edison Brima Mohamed an agent of RCB sim korpor mobile application system to with several amounts as withdrawal made from RCB purportedly made by account holder Musa Kanteh now deceased knowing same to be false.
Testifying on oath, the witness Alpha Barrier staff of the bank said he knew first accused as staff of the bank and he was working as customer service officer and he was charge with the duty of customer’s attendance.
He said he knew the second accused as an agent operating an agency for the bank.
He said he knew the third accused through the second accused as he used to represent him in his boot.
Witness Barrie recalled on Friday 13 August 2023, adding that on that day he received a call from the head of sim kopor unit Mrs Salami who gave him an information about an account and she order him to block the said account by the name of Musa Kanteh.
He said after blocking the account he went through it and went to the community of the holder of the account to make an enquiry and he was told that the account holder is now a deceased.
The witness said upon his returned to the office, he did some changes in the account and put it on a stand by.
He continue that during investigation by the police they gave several documents to the police and said that if given the opportunity he will bring the said documents in court.
Prosecutor Ibrahim Mansaray sought for an adjournment at this stage for the witness to bring the documents in court.
Defense Counsel H. M Geavo renews his application for bail, adding that they will not jump bail because they knew that they have a very good case.
He made his application pursuant to section (2)(3) of the CPA no 32 of 1965.
Magistrate Ngegba granted the five hundred thousand Leones bail and one surety each in like sum
He said each surety must have an account balance of one hundred and fifty thousand new Leones.
He furthered that each surety should be a property owner in Freetown and bail should be approved by the Magistrate.
The matter was adjourned to 9th October 2023 for continuation.
By: Audrey Raymonda John
23 years old Abu Bakar Sesay made another appearance before Magistrate Peter Brima Gogra of Pademba road court No.6 in Freetown on a count of Larceny contrary to section 2 of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of offence on Thursday 10th August 2023 at the West Africa examination Council A.J Momoh Street Tower Hill the western area in Freetown Stole Six metal chairs value one thousand nine hundred and twenty Leones (1,920) property of the West Africa Examination Council.
When the charge was read and explained to the accused person; he pleaded guilty.
Police Constable 17220 Joel B Sannoh led first Prosecution witness (PW1) DPC 17030 Koroma M.S attached to the exhibit office centre police station.
PW1 said some of his duties are to register exhibit that have been investigated and charged and to tender them in court when required to do so. He said he recalled on the 12th August 2023 as he was on duty when DPC 18627 S. Chatty handed over to him six old iron chairs which was registered in the court exhibit book against serial number 85/2023 since then it was in the custody of the police the said exhibit was produced and tendered in court to form part of the court records.
The accused person was unrepresented and pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy due to the plea mitigation by the accused person. Magistrate Gogra sentenced the accused person to eight months imprisonment to the male correctional center in Freetown.
