By: Audrey Raymonda John
Nineteen years old Alie Bassie a Masoner, thirty-three years old Momoh Swaray a business man and forty-seven years old Abubakar Sesay a Masoner made their first appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba road court No.3 in Freetown on three count charges to wit Larceny and two count ranging from Receiving stolen goods.
According to the particulars of offence on a date unknown between 1st to 30th July 2023 at Mile 13 Village the western area in Freetown did steal certain properties that is to say one hundred and ten cartoons of 600 millimetre tiles twenty two pie Toliet fittings, twenty two pieces of plumbing fittings for Toliet, twelve pieces of security door handles and twenty two pieces of sink tube all to the total sum of sixty eight thousand one hundred Leones(68,000) property of Amie John.
On count two the second accused person on the above date and place did receive five cartoons tiles, seven set of security door handles and one plumbing fittings all to the total sum of nine thousand five hundred Leones(9,500) Property of Amie John knowing same to have been stolen. On count three the third accused person on the above date and place did received two pieces of 600 by 600 millimetres of tiles value two hundred Leones(200) property of Amie John knowing same to have been stolen.
Inspector Terencia Macfoy lead Prosecutor witness numbers one Musa an entertainer said he recognized the first accused person as his caretaker and the second and third accused persons as the person whom he usually bought his material from.
He recalled from the 1st to 30th July 2023 between on the above date he suspected that his wire cable was missing, he asked the first accused person for the missing cable he identified someone he sold the cable to from then the first accused person get missing.
After that he noticed that four doors, 110 tiles, 22 feet of Toliet seat, and other items was missing.
The witness said he went to Adonkia police station and made report the accused person was arrested at the police station.
The accused person admitted to the offences himself together with some police officers from Adonkia police station went to the scene where the accused person sold the items at the scene.
The first accused person identified the tiles at Mile 13 at the shop of the second accused person, the witness said they discovered five cartoons tiles and Five handle doors, the witness said they went to the house of the third accused person were the first accused person identified two cartoons of tiles he sold to him.
The witness said himself together with the three accused persons returned to the police station where he made statement.
The witness was cross examined by defense counsel D. Mansaray you told the court that you used to bought items from the second accused person the witness said yes, how long have you be building this house the witness said for the past three years, are you aware that the second accused person is not the owner of the shop, the witness said No, for how long have you been buying building material from the second accused person, the witness said he cannot tell, how many people you have in the site, the witness said about seven of them, and the first accused person is under all this person the witness said yes he concluded
Counsel representing the accused persons applied for bail for and on behalf of the accused persons that they’re Sierra Leonean resident within this jurisdiction that they have reliable sureties who are willing and ready to go into recognizance on their behalf.
He made his application pursuant to section 79 2 of the Criminal procedure Act No.32 of 1965.
Meanwhile Magistrate Bangura granted the second and third accused persons bail in the sum of eighty thousand Leones with two sureties in like sum sureties be resident in the western area in Freetown sureties to produce valid identity card depicting his or her address in Freetown bail to be approved by the Deputy assistant Registrar Matter adjourned to the 30th November 2023 for further hearing.