By: Audrey Raymonda John
Emzor Pharmaceutical Country Manager Olanreweju Erinle has on Thursday 2nd October 2023 testified against three of their staffs.
The accused persons made their second appearance before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Court No1 and were arraigned on two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime contrary to law and Larceny by servant contrary to section 17(1(a) of the larceny Act 1916.
According to the indictments, the accused persons Jimmy Tao, Daniel Conteh and Morlai Kamara on Tuesday 10th October 2023 at No 6 Walpole street Freetown, with intent to steal, conspired together with other person’s unknown to commit a crime to wit larceny by servant.
The police further alleged on counts two that the accused persons on the same date and place being an Inventory assistance/Sales assistant employed by Emzor Pharmaceutical Industry stole 184 pieces of Ulsakit, 38 cups of Em-vit C, 31 cartoons of Folic Acid, 122 packets of Zolat tablets, 167 packets of Emgyl blisters and others assorted medicines all to the total valued of NLE 403,362.100 property of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industry.
Second Prosecution witness (PW2) Olanreweju Erinle in his testimony led by CSP Juan Bull said he is the Country Manager of Emzor phamacuetical Industry.
He recognized the accused persons as staff of Emzor and further recalled Tuesday 10th October 2023.
He said on that date, he got information from the Inventory officer in respect of the missing drugs.
Upon that information, he said they went to the ware house at No 2 Walpole street and discovered that no door was compromise, and there were no breakage but said they discovered that several products were missing including Lok Mal, Folic Acid, Zolat tablets and others assorted drugs.
He said he immediately called the team together and asked them as to what they know about the missing items but they said they know nothing about it.
The accused persons he said told him to investigate the matter, and that base on the response, he called the CID HQ and they came to the office and asked the same question but said they all denied, and their phones were confiscated.
The CID officials he said went to the accused person’s house and conducted a search.
”Before informing the police, I called eight of my clients to ask them if they have such product and one of them told me that he has folic acid, I then asked him that I needed 3cartoons and I the open up to him that this particular products were missing and have not sold it to any one, so he also revealed to me that it was the third accused persons that sold it to him”, the witness narrated.
The witness said upon that information he informed the police who came and arrested the third accused.
He said he got information from one of their neighbors in respect of the first and second accused persons and said they were arrested two.
He made statement to the police at CID HQ.
During cross examination by Lawyer S.A Conteh, the witness said all what he told the court was what the Inventory officer told him and that of his own investigation.
He put it to the witness that he never saw the warehouse compromise, he said indeed it was not compromise but the drugs were missing.
He said he was the one that called the CID HQ.
Lawyer Conteh put it to the witness that the warehouse keys are always with the Inventory officer; the witness in reply said they are always kept in the office.
He also put it to the witness that there are different importers of Folic Acid in the country, the witness reply in the affirmative.
Prosecution witness No 3, Sorie Bangura in his testimony said he is a security guard working for the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency.
He recognized the accused persons as staffs working for Emzor Pharmaceutical and further recalled 10th October 2023.
The witness said on that day, he got information from Aminata about the missing drugs.
He said base on the information; he then told her that he saw the first and third accused persons the other day and that they went with Kekeh and collected some cartoons of stolen drugs.
” I was called to the country managers office and gave him the same information and later made statement to the police at CID HQ Pademba Freetown”, he said.
During cross examination by lawyer Conteh, the witness said he has work as a security guard at the NDLEA for twelve years now.
The witness said the day he saw the accused persons taking the cartoons away were on the 5th October 2023, adding that he only saw cartoons and therefore could not tell what was in it.
When he was asked as to whether the first and third accused persons had anything to do with what was in the cartoon, the witness said he could not tell.
The witness in conclusion said since he is not a staff of Emzor he could tell what happened there.
Lawyer Conteh renewed his application for bail on behalf the accused persons and vouch for their appearance on any adjournment.
Magistrate Ngegba however granted the accused persons bail in the sum of 200 thousand new Leones and one surety each in like sum, adding that the sureties must be gainfully employed and have a title deeds not less than 100 million and must have an NCRA identity cards. The bail he said must be approved by the master and registrar and the matter was adjourned to the 16th November 2023.