By: Audrey Raymonda John
Twenty-eight-year-old Alhaji Kargbo, a gardener, made his first appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at Pademba Road Court No. 2 on a charge of larceny, contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the charge sheet, on Friday, February 21, 2025, at the Fourah Bay College (FBC) University campus in the Mountain Rural District, Western Area, Freetown, Kargbo allegedly stole two trips of half-inch granite stones, each valued at five thousand Leones (Le 5,000), with a total value of ten thousand Leones (Le 10,000). The stolen property belonged to Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.
When the charge was read and explained to the accused, he pleaded not guilty.
Sergeant 3379 Theresa Ballay led in the first prosecution witness, Joseph Mattia, a security guard at Fourah Bay College. Mattia testified that he became acquainted with the accused on the day of the incident. He recalled that on February 21, 2025, between 16:30 and 17:00 hours, while on patrol, he saw the accused carrying a pile of granite stones that had been gathered by the college for a construction site. Mattia arrested the accused and took him to the FBC police station. He also stated that the stolen stones were valued at ten thousand Leones, and he made a statement to the police regarding the incident.
The accused was not legally represented during the proceedings.
Magistrate Bangura denied bail due to the vague address provided by the accused and ordered that Kargbo be remanded in the male correctional facility in Freetown. The case was adjourned to March 13, 2025.