By: Audrey Raymonda John
Magistrate John Manso Fornah of Pademba Road Court No. 1, Freetown, has committed casino clerk Santigie Kamara to the High Court to face trial for allegedly stealing betting chips belonging to Golden Beach Casino.
Kamara faces a single-count charge of Larceny by Servant, contrary to Section 17(1)(a) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the charge sheet, between April and July 2024, at Golden Beach Casino, Beach Road, Aberdeen, Kamara, employed as a casino clerk, allegedly stole betting chips valued at Le 679,590, property of the casino.
When the charge was read and explained, the defendant did not enter a plea.
In delivering his ruling, Magistrate Fornah noted that he had reviewed the prosecution’s witnesses, the caution statements of the defendant to the police where Kamara admitted to stealing the two betting chips and the “no-case” submission presented by the defendant’s counsel.
The Magistrate stated that, after considering the factual and formal evidence presented, including all exhibits, he was firmly convinced that the no-case submission did not meet the legal threshold established under Lord Parker’s guidelines to warrant dismissal. Consequently, he ruled that the defendant has a case to answer and committed him to stand trial at the High Court pursuant to Section 116(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2024.
The defendant’s bail conditions remain unchanged.