By: Audrey Raymonda John
Magistrate Kakura of Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 1 on Tuesday remanded Mortai Abdul Charles Sesay at the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road for the offences of burglary and malicious damage.
The accused is standing trial on two counts: burglary, contrary to Section 24 of the Larceny Act of 1916, and malicious damage, contrary to Section 51 of the Malicious Damage Act of 1861.
According to the charge sheet, on Wednesday, 9th April 2025, at Kamayama, Lumley in Freetown, the accused allegedly broke into the dwelling house of one Isatu Conteh with the intent to steal.
On the second count, the accused is alleged to have, on the same date and at the same location, maliciously damaged an EDSA meter valued at Le3,500 (Three Thousand Five Hundred New Leones), which belonged to Isatu Conteh.
Prosecution Witness One (PW1), Isatu Conteh, testified that she resides at No. 7 Big Mama Drive, Kamayama, Lumley, and that she knows the accused. She recalled that on the evening of 9th April 2025, around 9:00 p.m., she heard a noise near the electricity meter. She then woke her mother, and both of them raised an alarm, shouting “thief.” Upon investigating, she noticed that the cable had been removed from the meter and the meter card was on the ground. She went downstairs and saw the accused on the premises. He was apprehended and held in the house until the following morning when the matter was reported to the Lumley Police Station. She added that the police later obtained a statement from her.
Magistrate Kakura, considering the seriousness of the charges, refused bail and adjourned the matter to Monday, 12th May 2025.