By: Audrey Raymonda John
Two men accused of stealing electric cables have been granted bail by Magistrate John Manso Fornah of Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 2 after their alleged larceny case came up for hearing on Monday, August 3, 2026.
The accused, 22-year-old Ismael Sesay and Mohamed Lamin Sesay are facing two counts of larceny contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act, 1916.
According to the police charge sheet, Mohamed Lamin Sesay is alleged to have stolen electric cables valued at NLe 1,500 on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at Leicester Peak in Freetown. The cables are said to be the property of Mamadu Yero Jalloh.
The second count alleges that Ismael Sesay, on the same date and at the same location, also stole electric cables valued at NLe 1,500, belonging to the same complainant.
When the charges were read and explained in court, both accused pleaded not guilty.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant 3379 Ballay T informed the court that the prosecution’s first witness was absent and applied for an adjournment.
Defence counsel L. Ellis opposed the application, arguing that the accused should be discharged pursuant to Section 95 because the prosecution witness had failed to appear on three previous adjourned dates. In the alternative, counsel renewed his earlier application for bail and urged the court to grant it.
In his ruling, Magistrate Fornah noted that no affidavit had been filed in opposition to the bail application. After considering the submissions of the defence, he granted both accused bail in the sum of NLe 3,000 each, with one surety each in like sum.
The court ordered that each surety must be a resident of Freetown and produce a valid National Identification Card. The bail conditions are subject to the approval of the court.
Magistrate Fornah further directed that subpoenas be issued to the absent prosecution witnesses and adjourned the matter to August 10, 2026, for continuation of the hearing.