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
Forty-six-year-old Kabba Dumbuya, a Motor Mechanic and businessman, made another appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba road court No.2 in Freetown on two counts charges, namely Murder and Incitement, contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
According to the particulars of the offense, on diverse dates between 13th to 14th October 2023 at Finnah Drive off Benguema Road, Waterloo, in the Western Rural Area of Freetown, Kabba Dumbuya allegedly murdered Samuel Turay. On counts two, on the above date and place, the accused person is accused of unlawfully conducting himself in a violent manner, thereby creating a scene that led to the unlawful killing of his younger brother, Samuel Turay.
When the charges were read and explained to the accused person, no plea was taken.
Prosecution witness number four, Sergeant 8826 Sulaisy Mukeh Konneh, attached to the Homicide Units of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters Pademba Road, Freetown, testified that he recognized the accused person in the dock while on duty on the 6th November 2023.
He received a transfer case of inquiry files from Waterloo Police Station, indicating the murder of Samuel Turay off Finnah Drive, off Benguema Road, Waterloo. The file contained statements from the complainant and her witnesses, interview caution statement of the accused person, three endorsed police medical request forms, and the cause of death certificate for the deceased. Since then, these documents were in the custody of the police, and all documents were produced and tendered in court to form part of the court records.
During the investigation, a police team headed by Inspector Tamba Kassibama at Finnah Drive off Benguema Road, Waterloo, went to the scene of the crime on the 11th December 2023. He obtained a charged statement from the accused person, and the witness said the accused was cautioned and questioned in Krio language, which was recorded in English. The said statement was produced and tendered in court to form part of the court records.
Prosecution witness number five, Sia Aruna, a businesswoman, recognized Prosecution witness number one (PW1), the deceased Samuel Turay, and the accused person as her neighbor. She recalled an incident between 13th to 14th October 2023 when she visited her friend at Finnah Drive off Benguema Road, Waterloo. She witnessed an argument between PW1 and the accused person. The deceased, Samuel Turay, entered the house and came out with his younger brother Medo. The witness further stated that a lady named Baby Fair, the sister of the accused person, took hot water and wanted to throw it at Medo. The deceased rushed to grab his younger brother, but the accused person took sticks and hit Samuel Turay on his head. He dropped down, and the big brother of the accused person came out to rescue his brother but was also hit by a relative of the accused person. The witness said she took Samuel Turay to Waterloo police station, where the police issued a medical request form. She then took Samuel Turay to Connaught Hospital, and the following morning, she received information that Samuel Turay had passed away.
The witness was cross-examined by defense counsel J. Kamara.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Bangura refused bail and sent the accused person to the male facility in Freetown. The matter was adjourned to the 5th February 2024.
