By: Audrey Raymonda John
Two defendants, Mohamed Maada Tarawalie, a 21-year-old tailor, and Aiah Quiwa, 19, have been remanded at the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown after appearing before Magistrate Adama Kandeh of Pademba Road Court No. 4 on Monday, 9th November 2026, on four counts relating to the alleged theft of US$9,400.
The defendants are facing charges of Larceny, contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act 1916; Conspiracy to Commit a Felony; Receiving Stolen Property, contrary to Section 33(1) (a) of the Larceny Act 1916; and Domestic Violence, contrary to Section 2(1) of the Domestic Violence Act 2007.
According to the particulars of the offence, Mohamed Maada Tarawalie, on Tuesday, 29th September 2026, at Edward Street, in the Western Area of Sierra Leone, allegedly stole US$9,400, equivalent to NLe288, 000, belonging to Mariama Tarawalie.
The second count alleged that on the same date and at the same location, Mohamed Maada Tarawalie and Aiah Quiwa conspired with other persons unknown to commit a felony, to wit, larceny.
The third count further alleged that Aiah Quiwa received US$9,400, equivalent to NLe288,000, from Mohamed Maada Tarawalie, knowing the money to have been stolen.
The fourth count alleged that Mohamed Maada Tarawalie economically abused Mariama Tarawalie, with whom he was in a domestic relationship.
When the charges were read and explained to the defendants, they pleaded not guilty to all four counts.
The prosecutor, Sergeant 10261 Kargbo K, called the first prosecution witness, Mariama Tarawalie, who testified that on 5th August 2025, her employer and sister had brought home US$12,000 for safekeeping.
The witness explained that she was the head of a school and was responsible for keeping money collected as school fees until her employers returned. She said she did not deposit the money in a bank account because she did not have a dollar account.
She further testified that she kept the money in a brown bag in her bedroom, which she considered a safe place.
According to her testimony, the first defendant, whom she identified as her younger brother, had access to her bedroom because she sometimes gave him the keys to clean it.
She told the court that she usually checked the money from time to time but, on the day in question, returned home tired and went to bed without checking it. When she checked the following day, she discovered that the money was missing.
The witness said she suspected her younger brother because he was the only person she believed had access to the room where the money was kept.
However, during cross-examination by C. M. Amara, Esq., counsel for the second defendant, the witness admitted that she did not personally see the first defendant taking the money.
She also acknowledged that nobody had informed her of seeing him take the money.
“I did not see DW1 take the money. No, I did not see anybody take the money. No, I do not have a video of the taking of the money,” she told the court.
She maintained that the money was US$9,400 and confirmed that she had reported the matter to the police, accusing her younger brother of stealing it because he had access to her bedroom keys.
The witness further told the court that the second defendant did not live with them and had no access to her bedroom. She also disclosed that a 26-year-old son of the second defendant had been at their home, but no money was found on him.
She added that she believed nobody else could have taken the money and explained that the first defendant had mentioned the second defendant to the police during investigations.
Following the proceedings, Magistrate Kandeh ordered the defendants to be remanded at the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown and adjourned the matter to 20th November 2026, for further proceedings.