May 27, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
Two accused persons of the Alic Security Agency deployed at the World Bank Sierra Leone Wilberforce has appeared before Magistrate Sahr Keikura of Court No 1 in Freetown on the 26th May, 2021 at the Pademba Freetown in an alleged matter of Conspiracy to commit a felony and store breaking contrary to Laws of Sierra Leone.
According to the police charged sheets the accused persons are charged with two counts charges. It’s alleged in count one that the accused persons conspired together with other persons unknown to commit a felony to with store breaking and larceny. It’s alleged in count two that the accused persons broke and entered the Hema Trading and Construction Company and stole therein one 5.5 Horse power sub-mosible pump, valued one million five hundred thousand Leones (Le1,500,000/00), one-100 AH Battery valued one million five hundred thousand Leone (Le1,500,000/00), one Dell Desk Top Screen valued three million hundred thousand Leones (Le3,500,000/00), two set 2:5 MM cables valued ten million eight hundred thousand Leones (Le10,800,000/00), ten meter of ten mile maters caper cables valued one million six hundred thousand Leone (Le,1600,000/00), one CCTV-Close Circuit Television Camera valued one thousand two United States Dollar ($1,200) sum up to twelve million three hundred and sixty thousand Leones (Le12,360,000/00) in Sierra Leone currency, one Central Process Unit Machine (CPU) valued three thousand five hundred United States Dollars which estimated is thirty six million and fifty thousand Leone (Le 36,050,000/00) all to the total sum of sixty seven million three hundred and ten thousand Leones (Le67,310,000,000/00) while in the custody of Ibrahim Hajali property of Hema Trading and Construction Company.
Testifying in court, Police Witness Amara Mansaray said he is working for Hema Trading and Construction Company attached to the World Bank Sierra Leone at Wilberforce and a supervisor. Witness said he recognized the accused persons as security personnel at Alic Security Agency that are deployed at the World Bank Sierra Leone Wilberforce.
The witness said he recalled on the 9th May, 2021 at 11: AM he went to the World Bank to collect his tools to do the remaining work at the Lebanese Embassy at Spur road Freetown. He said he knocks at the gate and the first accused person come and opened the gate for him. He continued that the first accused person asked him what he came to do at the said office on Sunday and he replied him that I have work to finished at the Lebanese Embassy at Spur road Freetown.
The witness said he was standing at the gate and saw someone was running from the store to the generator room and immediately he asked the first accused person who is that person and the accused replied that he is cleaner and he said the World Bank don’t have no cleaner that are employed here.
He said he wanted to see the cleaner and he was blocked by the first accused person. He furthered that he removed his phone to video and take a snap shot and removed his phone from him.
The witness said both of the accused persons blocked his sight not to see the unknown person in the compound and later he saw four of the unknown persons running away out of the compound and they drop CPU computer machine and later the first accused person went to collect the CPU machine. The witness continued that he called his immediate boss Mr. Mohamed. He said upon his boss arrival at the scene of crime he handed over to his boss the CPU machine. Witness said his boss later handed the CPU to Mr. Rife the head of the Alic Security Agency after seeing the scene of crime and they later went at the Congo Cross Police Station he make statement.
Under cross examination, the first accused person asked the witness who opened the gate for witness. Witness said it is you. The second accused person asked if he blocked the witness on the day of the incident. Witness said both of you blocked me. The State prosecutor prosecuting the matter is Inspector I. G. Fofanah while there was no lawyer representing the accused persons. The accused persons were denied bail and remanded the Male Correctional Centre at Pademba Road Freetown and the matter adjourned to the 1st June, 2021.