By: Audrey Raymonda John
Two businessmen, Abdul Jabba Mansaray and Joseph Bellon, have made another appearance before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 2 in Freetown over allegations involving the theft and fraudulent handling of medical equipment valued at US$37,100.
The accused are facing five counts, including conspiracy to commit a felony, larceny, obtaining money by false pretences, and receiving stolen goods, contrary to the provisions of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the charge sheet, on 13 January 2026, at No. 3 Bathurst Street, Freetown, the first accused, Abdul Jabba Mansaray, allegedly conspired with persons unknown to commit larceny. He is further alleged to have stolen one Vivid IQ Echo Machine, valued at US$37,100, the property of Professor Dr. James Russell, on the same date and at the same location.
Counts three and four state that on 28 and 29 January 2026, at the same address, Mansaray allegedly obtained NLe2,500 from Fatmata Jullet Nicolls and NLe1,015 from George Russell via Orange Money. He is alleged to have falsely claimed that the funds were needed for transportation to deliver the stolen Vivid IQ Echo Machine, knowing the representation to be false.
Count five alleges that between 13 and 28 January 2026, at Kossoh Town, Freetown, the second accused, Joseph Bellon, received the Vivid IQ Echo Machine valued at US$37,100 from Mansaray, allegedly knowing or having reason to believe that it was stolen property belonging to Professor Dr. James Russell.
The prosecution’s fifth witness, Detective Constable 18291 Ibrahim Sorie Kamara, attached to the Cyber Laboratory of the Scientific Support Unit at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, testified that he serves as a cyber systems analyst responsible for examining and extracting data from electronic devices.
Led in evidence, the witness told the court that on 2 February 2026, the Cyber Laboratory received a request from Detective Superintendent PKS Mark M. Kamara, Head of Operations at CID Headquarters, seeking subscriber details, call logs, site locations, and IMEI traces for the telephone numbers 23272686227, 075550341, and 073097141. The request was tendered and admitted into evidence.
He further testified that the Cyber Laboratory wrote to the Chief Executive Officer of Orange Sierra Leone, located at No. 25 Regent Road, Hill Station, Freetown, requesting IMEI numbers, site locations, and Know Your Customer (KYC) details of subscribers linked to the identified telephone numbers. The request, dated 6 February 2026, was responded to by Orange Sierra Leone on the same day. The correspondence was also tendered in evidence.
Detective Constable Kamara added that following the response, the Cyber Laboratory conducted an analysis and extracted relevant IMEI data from its systems. Investigators subsequently sent another request, dated 23 February 2026, seeking details of any additional SIM cards linked to the identified IMEI numbers. A response was received on 2 March 2026, and both the request and reply were tendered in court as evidence.
After the testimony, Magistrate John Manso Fornah adjourned the matter to 13 July 2026 for further hearing.