June 30, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
First Police Witness (PW1) and a business man Cecil Smith has testified before Magistrate Sahr Keikura of Court No.1 on the 28th June, 2021 at the Pademba Court in case of stealing contrary to the Laws of Sierra Leone.
According to police charge sheets, the accused person is charged with one counts of stealing. It is alleged in count one that the accused person on the 12th June, 2021 at No. 27 off Fadika Drive Hill Station Freetown broke and entered into the dwelling house of Cecil Smith and stole therein ten set Dell desk top computers each valued two million Leones (Le2,000,000/00) total valued twenty million Leones (Le20,000,000/00), five Toshiba lap top computers each valued three million Leones (Le3,000,000/00) total valued of fifteen million Leones (Le15,000,000/00), one gas cocker burner, valued seven hundred thousand Leones (700,000/00), one electric carpet cleaner valued two million five hundred thousand Leone (Le2,500,000/00), forty two inches plasma Samsung television each valued one million five hundred thousand Leones (Le1,500,000/00) all valued four million five hundred thousand Leones (Le4,500,000/00) all to the total valued of fifty-two million seven hundred thousand Leones (Le42,700,000/00) property of Cecil Smith.
On the 10th July, 2020 at zizer garage old road Brima lane Kissy Freetown, fraudulently converted to his own use and benefit certain property. That is to say one Renault Laguna car valued fifty million Leones (Le50, 000,000/00) entrusted to him by Suliaman Sesay for purpose of sales property of Alie Kamara. It is alleged in count two that the accused person on the 12th July, 2020 at zizer garage old road Brima lane Kissy Freetown, fraudulently converted to his own use and benefit certain property. That is to say BMW 320 diesel car valued sixty million Leones (Le60, 000,000/00) entrusted to him by Suliaman Sesay for purpose of sales property of Alie Kamara.
Testifying in court the First Police Witness said he knew the accused person since 2014 when he was the care taker. Witness said on the 12th June, 2021 one of the care taker Sorie Turay called him and gave him information that some items have gone missing from the said premises. Witness upon receiving this information he immediately left the house for the said incident at IMATT. Witness said he notice that the toilet windows were broken, and he opened the main door and find out that the above items has gone missing from the house.
He said the items belong to Dr. Serry Kamara who is based in Australia. Witness said he went to the Akon police station IMATT. He said the police officers visited the scene of crime and took pictures, and upon the information given by one of the care taker led to the arrest of the accused person.
Under cross examination, the accused person asked the witness if he saw him with any exhibit. Witness said no. Accused person asked witness if he conducted any search at the said premise. Witness said he has told him that his wife travel.
Sergeant 8998 is prosecuting while accused persons while there was no lawyer representing the accused person. The matter has been adjourned to the 5th July, 2021.