July 15, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
The First Police Witness (PW1) Inspector Barrie M.K. attached to the Electricity Distribution Supply Authority (EDSA) Syndicate, Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters Freetown has testified before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Court No: 2 Pademba Road in Freetown on the 13th July, 2021 for conspiracy and abstraction of electricity supply contrary to section 68 of the National Electricity Act of 2011.
After the clerk has read the charge, all accused persons denied the charges against them. The accused persons were Mabinty Kamara, Aminata Turay, Suliaman Alhaji Bangura, Thomas Larrie, Mohamed Marah, and Hassan Kamara of Makeni Bombali District in the Northern Part of Sierra Leone.
According to police charge sheets, the accused persons are charged with one count. It is alleged that the accused persons on diverse dates between the 25th June, 2021 and 27th June, 2021 at Makeni in the Northern judicial district of Sierra Leone engaged in abstraction of electricity supply.
Testifying in court, The First Police Witness (PW1) said he recognized the accused persons in the dock. Witness said he was on duty on the 30th June, 2021 when he received enquiry files from Manner Police Station with six accused persons together with meters as an exhibit for further investigation.
Witness said he received the accused statements and voluntarily caution statements.
Witness said he brought forward the files and consolidated them into one file. Witness produced the statements of the accused according to the charges proffered. Witness produced and tendered statement of the first accused person as A=1-8, the second accused person as B= 1-9, the third accused person as C=1 – 7, fourth accused person as D= 1- 7, the fifth accused person as E= 1 -7, the sixth accused person as F= 1-8. Witness said on the 1st July, 2021 he charged all accused persons to court with conspiracy and dishonesty abstraction electricity supply.
Witness said himself and Detective Police Constable 8444 Kallon S. obtained charge statements. Witness said they cautioned and questioned accused in Krio and they responded in Krio which he recorded in English separately and at the end he read it to them which they admitted to be correct and true by appending their thump print.
Witness said he signed the statement after he has recorded the statements of the accused persons.
Witness said 18591 Police Constable Noah H. signed separately and Detective Police Constable 8444 signed as witness for the fifth and sixth accused person respectively.
Under cross examination, defense Lawyer A.S. Dumbuya asked witness how many years he has served the Sierra Leone Police. Witness said five years. Defense lawyer asked if the witness know the first accused person. Witness said yes. Defense lawyer asked witness how long does the first accused person was in detention for. Witness said eight days. Defense lawyer asked witness if there is any circumstance to prove when he was conducting his investigation that the first accused person has committed any abstraction of electricity. Witness according to the report. Defense counsel asked witness if he can produce any witness to prove that his client conspired with other persons. Witness said no. when defense Lawyer for the second and third accused persons J.T. Mansaray asked the witness for his duty post. Witness said he works at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Freetown.
Defense counsel asked witness that if he could agree that the file was transferred from Makeni to Freetown. Witness said yes.
Defense counsel asked him that he did not travel to Makeni to do the investigation. Witness said yes.
Defense counsel asked witness if he can produce any independent witnesses. Witness said no. Defense counsel for the fifth and sixth accused persons J.T.Mansaray asked witness how did he reached the conclusion that his clients were engaging in the dishonest abstraction of electricity supply. Witness said according to the report.
The Prosecutor Bah H is representing the State while A.Sheriff, I. Koroma, A. Mansaray is representing the fifth and sixth accused persons.
A.S. Dumbuya, L.W. Kargbo is representing the first accused person and J.T.Mansaray is representing the second and third accused persons. The matter has been adjourned to the 20th July, 2021.