By: Audrey Raymonda John
David Kamara, a former security guard, and Martin Lucious, a businessman, appeared before Magistrate Mustapha Brima Jah at Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.1 in Freetown following their arrest on July 6 and 7, 2025, in connection with a major theft at Bicky’s Place Boutique.
David Kamara faces eight charges of larceny by a servant, contrary to Section 17(1)(a) of the Larceny Act 1916. He is accused of stealing various boutique items from Bicky’s Place, located at No. 48 Liverpool Street, Freetown. The stolen items include assorted clothes valued at NLe 260,160, assorted shoes worth NLe 292,100, bags valued at NLe 53,150. 12 glasses worth NLe 10,200 and 13 purses totaling NLe 8,250.
All items belonged to businesswoman Binta Tejan Kella. His co-accused, Martin Lucious, is charged with receiving stolen goods, contrary to Section 33(1) of the Larceny Act. Lucious allegedly bought stolen items, including 15 pairs of assorted sneakers valued at NLe 10,000. 101 pairs of sandals worth NLe 50,500 and 61 pieces of ladies’ wear valued at NLe 22,265.
Chief Superintendent of Police T.B. Zizer led the prosecution. Prosecution witness number three, DPC 171712 Mohamed Lahun, attached to the Economic and Financial Fraud Unit at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), testified in court. He confirmed that he knew both the complainant and the defendants in this matter. He recalled that on June 25, 2025, the complainant reported the theft to him, and the matter was allocated to a team of investigators, with Lahun as the lead investigator.
Lahun stated that he obtained statements from the complainant and other witnesses. The complainant provided a document that showed salaries paid to the first defendant. On June 26, 2025, the first defendant, David Kamara, was arrested, and a voluntary caution statement was taken from him in Krio, which was then translated into English. The statement was read back to Kamara in Krio, and he confirmed it was correct.
On July 1, 2025, after receiving a confession from Kamara, the second defendant, Martin Lucious, was arrested along with three women. Lahun and his team executed a search warrant at Lucious’s home and discovered ten pairs of assorted sneakers, which were treated as exhibits.
On the same day, Lucious revealed that more stolen items were at his business premises. A search was conducted at his business, where investigators found 101 pairs of assorted ladies’ wear, which were also treated as exhibits. The search warrant and photographs taken by the complainant were tendered in court to form part of the court records.
Both defendants provided voluntary caution statements, following the same procedure as the first defendant’s statement. The statements were also tendered in court.
On July 6, 2025, the second defendant, Lucious, was charged with receiving stolen goods, and his charge statement was produced and tendered in court. The following day, July 7, 2025, Kamara was charged with larceny by a servant, and his charge statement was also tendered in court.
The stolen items recovered from Lucious were handed over to the exhibit clerk for safekeeping.
Neither defendant had legal representation during the proceedings.
Magistrate Jah denied bail to both defendants and remanded them at the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown. The matter was adjourned to October 29, 2025.