By: Audrey Raymonda John
A 23-year-old unemployed man, Mohamed Kamara, has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, with the option of restoring a stolen air conditioner valued at NLe55, 200, following his appearance before Magistrate John Manso Fornah of Pademba Road Court No. 2 in Freetown on charges of larceny and malicious damage.
According to the particulars of the offence, on Thursday, 1st October 2026, at Western Palace Beach Bar and Restaurant in Aberdeen, Freetown, Kamara stole one Midea air conditioner valued at US$2,300, equivalent to NLe55, 200, belonging to the management of the establishment.
He was also charged with maliciously damaging the said air conditioner, contrary to Section 51 of the Malicious Damage Act of 1861.
On the third count, Kamara was accused of maliciously damaging an air conditioner pipe valued at NLe800, also belonging to the restaurant’s management.
The defendant was arrested on the same date at about 6:00 a.m., while the matter was reported to the police on 8th October 2026.
When the matter came up on Monday, 2nd November 2026, Kamara appeared in court alongside the complainant. The prosecution was led by D.S.P. Conteh, who informed the court that the defendant was a first-time offender.
In his plea for mitigation, Kamara appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy.
In his ruling, Magistrate Fornah sentenced him to 24 months’ imprisonment on count one, another 24 months on count two, and six months on count three.
The magistrate ordered that all three sentences run concurrently, meaning that the defendant would serve them simultaneously rather than consecutively.
The court further ordered that Kamara could avoid imprisonment by restoring the stolen air conditioner or paying its equivalent value of NLe55,200 in respect of the first and second counts, and restoring the damaged pipe or paying NLe800 in respect of the third count.
Magistrate Fornah also ordered that the exhibits be restored to the complainant pursuant to Section 560 of the Criminal Procedure Act of 2024.