By: Audrey Raymonda John
Twenty-five-year-old Kelfala Kargbo, a Caretaker, thirty-five-year-old Issa Tarawally, a businessman, and fifty-two-year-old Mohamed Tarawally, a labourer, made their first appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at Pademba Road Court No1 in Freetown.
They were before the Court on four charges of conspiracy, store breaking, larceny, and receiving stolen goods contrary to section 26(1) and 33(1) of the Lacerny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of the offense on counts one and two, sometime in May 2024, at Olufumi Drive Gloucester village, conspired together with other persons unknown to commit a felony to wit store breaking and larceny entered into the store of Olufumi Lola Johnson and stole one power rush generator, thirty pieces of three-quarter plywood, nineteen and a half bags of cement, one submissive pump machine, one roll water conduct pipe, and other assorted items all to the total value of Three hundred and Three thousand eight hundred and fifteen Leones(NLE303,815/00) property of Olufumi Lola Johnson.
Counts three and four: On the above date and place, Issa Tarawally received one power rush generator, seven tons of iron rods, two tons of 8 mm iron rods, five tons of 15 mm iron rods, and one submissive pump machine, the property of Olufumi Lola Johnson, knowing that the same had been stolen.
When the charge was read and explained to the accused persons, no plea was taken.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Ibrahim S Mansaray is the lead Prosecution witness. Number one, Olufumi Lola Johnson, resides at Gloucester Lola Drive. She is a pastor and interpreter based in the United States of America. She recognizes the first accused as her caretaker, and the second and third accused are also her caretakers.
She recalls that in May 2024, she was in the USA when she received information from Frederick about some missing items inside her house.
After receiving that information, she immediately informed her lawyer and instructed Fredrick to make a statement to the police.
She said that she later arrived in Sierra Leone and noticed that the first accused was not at the house, so she called the first accused and the house help, Binta Bah, all to no avail.
According to her, she discovered that the store’s door was broken. She entered the store and noticed that her 14 tons of iron rods, concrete cutter, and other assorted items were missing, totaling three hundred and three thousand eight hundred and fifteen Leones.
She further revealed that on the 22nd of October, she was coming to PZ when she saw the first accused heading to Siaka Steven Street. So she asked the keen driver to take her around the Cotton Tree area so she could inform the police to get him arrested. She said the accused person was arrested, and she made a statement at the station. She later informed her lawyer.
The next day, she was at home when she received a call from the police officer who informed her that they were going to search the house of the accused person. Upon that, she then went to CID herself together with the police, and the accused person proceeded to the place where he sold the items, New London. Upon their arrival, they met the second accused, who was asked to open his shop by the police for her to identify her missing items.
She identified the Generator, iron rods, plywood, and PVC, which he denied belonged to the complainant. She told the court that the third accused met them at the shop of the second accused, who told them that the water pump was sold to him by the first accused.
She said they were all arrested and brought in by the police officer at the CID headquarters.
The first accused, who was unrepresented by legal counsel cross-examined the witness to prove his innocence.
Defense counsel for the second and third accused persons cross-examined the witness to prove his client’s innocence.
The defense counsel, T.W Davies, renewed his previous bail application for and on behalf of his clients.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Kekura refused bail and remanded all accused persons to the male correctional facility in Freetown. The matter was adjourned to November 14th, 2024.
