By Alimatu Jalloh
One Ibrahim Kamara and Alhaji Kamara were yesterday arraigned before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of the Pademba Road Court No. 1 for the offence of Larceny and receiving stolen goods contrary to the Laws of Sierra Leone.
It was alleged by the police that the first accused Ibrahim Kamara, on diverse dates between January 1 and June 16, 2022, in Cline in Freetown stole 55 pairs of Jordan footwear, eight (8) pairs of black timberland boots, 55 earphones, all valued at NLe85,050, property of Mohamed Juma Barrie and Abdul Karim Mansaray whilst in custody of Mohamed Unisa Shaw.
The chargesheet adduced that the second accused, on the same date at Savage Square in Freetown received fifteen pairs of brown Timberland valued at NLe6,750 belonging to Mohamed Juma Barrie.
Led in evidence by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP ) Christina Davies Cole, prosecution witness, Detective Police Constable Alimamy Kamara attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters on Pademba Road in Freetown, said he recognised both accused persons and recalled June 16, 2022, while he was on duty the complainant reported a case of Larceny.
Mr Kamara added that the case was assigned to him for investigation, and on the same day he obtained statements from the complainant and his witnesses.
“On June 17, 2022, a team of police officers headed by Detective Inspector S.K. Mansaray, conducted a search at the premises of first accused, and during the search, a Timberland boot was discovered and cash of NLe7,500 were discovered.
PW1 said the said items were taken to the CID headquarters as exhibits and were produced and tendered to form part of the court records.
The witness said on diverse dates between 17th and 18th June, 2022, he obtained a voluntary caution statement from the first accused, noting that at the end of the statement the accused admitted it to be true and correct.
At this juncture, the first accused voluntary caution statement was tendered in evidence.
He said that during the course of the investigation, the first accused identified the second accused as his accomplice, adding that as a matter of fact he also carried out a search at the second accused’s residence, but nothing of police interest was discovered.
He said that n divers dates between June 19, 2022, himself and Corporal Mohamed Sesay obtained a voluntary caution statement from the second accused.
The said statement was produced and tendered marked exhibits C1-18.
Mr Kamara said a team of police officers including the second accused visited the crime scene and took photographs of the said goods.
Magistrate Ngegba differed cross-examination to August 30, 2022 because the lawyer resenting both accused persons lawyer was absent