By: Audrey Raymonda John
A caretaker and a construction worker have been granted bail by Magistrate John Manso Fornah of Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 2 in Freetown in an ongoing trial involving seven accused persons charged with conspiracy, larceny, and receiving stolen goods relating to construction materials valued at NLe574,340.
The bail ruling was delivered on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with the 1st and 6th accused persons Samuel Mansaray, a 26-year-old caretaker, and Ibrahim Sesay, a 33-year-old construction worker being granted bail.
The other accused persons are Charles Mansaray, a 19-year-old unemployed man; Solomon Augustine Bangura, a 20-year-old pupil; John Conteh, a 27-year-old mastic worker; Abdulai Sankoh, a businessman; and Alhassan Sankoh, a 43-year-old businessman.
According to the charge sheet, the first three accused persons are facing two counts of conspiracy to commit felony and larceny, contrary to law and Section 2 of the Larceny Act, 1916.
The prosecution alleges that between 2023 and June 17, 2026, at Kaningo, Lumley, in the Western Area of Sierra Leone, the accused persons conspired with other persons unknown to steal construction materials belonging to Mariama Kamara.
The allegedly stolen items include electrical cables of various sizes and colours, 48 five-gallon buckets of paint, a double French door, an electric cooker, double and single sockets, floor drains, bags of granite and cement, boxes of tiles, tubes of silicon, and other building materials, with a total estimated value of NLe574,340.
The fourth accused, John Conteh, is charged with one count of receiving stolen goods, contrary to Section 33(1) of the Larceny Act, 1916. The prosecution alleges that he received several stolen items, including LED spotlights, chandelier lights with fans, toilet seats, paint, and shower sets, knowing them to have been stolen.
The fifth accused, Abdulai Sankoh, is also charged with receiving stolen goods. Prosecutors allege that he received NLe22,000 in cash and 48 buckets of paint valued at NLe26,000, knowing that the items were stolen.
The sixth accused, Ibrahim Sesay, faces a charge of receiving stolen goods for allegedly receiving electrical cables believed to have been stolen, while the seventh accused, Alhassan Sankoh, is accused of receiving five chandelier lights with fans valued at NLe36,000, knowing them to have been stolen.
When the charges were read and explained to the accused persons, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd accused pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy and larceny charges. The 4th accused pleaded not guilty to the receiving stolen goods charge, while the 5th, 6th, and 7th accused persons also pleaded not guilty to their respective charges.
Prosecutor Police Constable 18235 Thoronka K. informed the court that counsel representing the 1st and 6th accused persons had engaged the prosecution regarding part payment to the complainant.
The defence team included C.M.E. Bah for the 1st accused, O.I. Kamara for the 4th and 7th accused, and C.I. Sesay for the 6th accused.
Counsel for the 1st accused informed the court that they had brought NLe50,000 as part payment to the complainant. The prosecutor confirmed the payment, and the complainant acknowledged receipt by signing the relevant documents. The payment was also acknowledged by the 1st accused.
Counsel for the 6th accused also informed the court that they had brought NLe23,000 as part payment to the complainant. The amount was paid in court on behalf of the accused, acknowledged by him, and received by the complainant, who signed to confirm receipt.
Following the payments, both defence counsels applied for the adoption of their previous bail applications, relying on the same legal provisions earlier presented before the court.
In his ruling, Magistrate Fornah stated that after considering the submissions of both defence counsels, he had decided to grant bail to the 1st accused in the sum of NLe10,000 and to the 6th accused in the sum of NLe40,000.
The court further ordered that each accused must provide one surety in a similar amount. The sureties must be responsible citizens residing in Freetown with fixed addresses and must produce valid National Identification Cards.
The bail conditions are to be approved by the Deputy Assistant Registrar.
The matter has been adjourned to August 19, 2026, for further proceedings.