Frederick Vonjo, a caretaker, was on Thursday September 17, 2020 arraigned for allegedly stealing property exceeding millions of Leones from a mining site at Yele. He was working for Hun Chin, a Company engaged in mining at Yele, Bombali District. The case is currently being investigated at Court No.2 on Pademba Road, presided over by Magistrate Marke Ngegba.
Abdulai Barrie, a businessman dealing with the mining Company testified in the matter. He recognized the complainant, Joseph Micheal, as a business partner and the accused as a caretaker at the mining site in Makeni, and recalled that on an unknown date between November 2016 and April 2019, together with Mohamed Fahai, one Mr. Thang Li, CEO of Hu Chin Company approached him through one Mr. Thai, an agent, with an offer to sell the mining Company. Barrie furthered that after the meeting they travelled to Yele, to the Company’s mining site. He said when they arrived there, while Mohamed Fahai was checked the machines at the site and expressed a feeling that some of the machines were not in their proper state.
Barrie stated that after they had taken a look at the condition of the property, they bought the Company, and added that before they acquired the Company its license had been cancelled because it had been “facing obstacles”. He said that as the new owners of the Company they met with some stakeholders of the community where it operates; and after, decided to retain some of the workers: including one Mr. Samuel and the accused. He continued that the accused, Mohamed and some engineers even travelled down to the head office at ECOWAS Street in Freetown.
He added that after a while Joseph Michael informed him that some of the machines had been stolen. He said based upon the information they invited the accused and Samuel to find out about the missing items, and during a one on one conversation the accused admitted to stealing the machines- a caterpillar and a washing plant etc.
The matter was adjourned to October 6 2020, and the accused remanded in custody.
By Isabella Cassell
21/09/2020. ISSUE NO: 7923