By Alimatu Jalloh
Five individuals, including employees of Pee Cee and Sons, were arraigned before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at the Pademba Road Court No. 2 on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, for allegedly stealing over NLe 7,000 from the company. The accused — Babar Koroma, Foday Turay, Bashiru Kemoh Bangura, Jusu Koroma, and Mustapha Jabbie — face charges of embezzlement, misprision of felony, receiving stolen goods, and being accessories to a felony.
The Allegations
According to court documents, Babar Koroma, a driver, is accused of embezzling NLe 7,220 on October 29, 2024, while working for Pee Cee and Sons. The other defendants allegedly assisted in concealing the stolen money, knowing it to have been unlawfully obtained.
Testimony from the Prosecution
Prosecution witness Chirad Garani, a marketer for Pee Cee and Sons, testified that he and Koroma were on duty collecting payments from clients on the day of the incident. Garani detailed their stops, collecting NLe 120,000, NLe 80,000, and NLe 522,000 from customers at various locations. He said the cash was secured in cartons placed in the vehicle driven by Koroma.
However, upon returning to the vehicle after their last stop, Garani discovered it had been moved. The four cartons containing the money, along with Koroma, were missing. Witnesses in the area claimed Koroma had been seen with two motorbike riders who assisted in taking the cash.
Garani reported the matter to his supervisors, who instructed him to file a complaint at the Lumley Police Station. The receipts from the collected payments were produced in court as evidence.
Defense and Adjournment
Defense counsel A.K. Kamara requested access to witness statements under Section 85(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2024, arguing for transparency to avoid trial by ambush. However, prosecutor Juan Bull opposed the application, stating the hearing was preliminary and not a trial. Magistrate Bangura ruled against the defense request, asserting that witness statements could be accessed during trial in the High Court.
The defense sought an adjournment for cross-examination. The accused remain in custody, and the case was adjourned to November 28, 2024.