By: Audrey John
Sheriff Fofanah, a bus driver has made his first appearance before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba Road Court No.2, in Freetown for allegedly conspired with his apprentice, whose name was not disclosed, to stealing a brown bag contained four thousand United States dollars (£4,000) belonging to the complainant, Bobson Benson.
First Prosecution witness (PW1) said on the 1st November 2022 at Mountain Cut in Freetown, when he on board on the accused’s vehicle registration APJ 538.
Led in evidence by Sub Inspector, Tejan A. Bangura prosecution witness one, Bobson Benson, told the court that he recognized the accused as poda-poda (Bus) driver, who was plying from Brima Lane Junction to Mountain Cut in Freetown.
He said on that fateful day, he boarded on the accused’s vehicle, adding that on their way, when they reached at PWD Junction, a lady, whose name he could not recall boarded the same vehicle in the front where he was sitting with accused.
The witness detailed the court that when they arrived at Sierra Leone Road Authority (SLRA) office Kissy Road in Freetown, it was only him and the accused were left in front.
“When the vehicle approached Mountain Cut Junction, it was stopped by two wardens and instructed us to disembark from the vehicle, which we did. I then opened by brown bag and paid him his money and left the scene. When I was about to approach Eastern Police Roundabout, I realized that I had forgotten by brown bag in the vehicle,” he narrated.
PW1 said when he returned where the wardens stopped the vehicle, when he confronted both wardens and the accused, they denied having no knowledge about the said missing bag.
Benson said he asked the wardens for police assistant to aid him to arrest the accused, which they declined saying that they were not responsible for that instead they were there for traffic offences.
He said that warranted him to report the matter to Eastern Police Division in Freetown.
The witness stated that since then accused had been on the run, but he was arrested and taken to the Eastern Police Division, where the accused’s apprentice confessed that to the police in his presence that the accused instructed him to run away with bag in question.
Counsel representing the accused person A. Kamara applied for bail for and on behalf of the accused person pursuant to section 79 2 of the Criminal procedure Act No.32 of 1965
Magistrate Ngegba granted the accused person fifty million leones bail or one surety in like sum surety to be resident in Freetown the said surety should produce identity card depicting his/her addresses in Freetown bail to be approved by the Deputy Master and Registrar.
The accused person is before the court on two counts of conspiracy and larceny, contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
According to the particulars of offence the police alleged that the accused person Sheriff Fofanah, on 1st November, 2021 at Mountain Cut in Freetown, conspired with unknown persons to commit a felony to wit larceny.
On count two at the same date and place in Freetown, conspired with other unknown persons to steal a brown bag contained four thousand United States dollars belonging to the complainant, Bobson Benson.
The matter was adjourned to 22nd February, 2022.