By Mamajah Jalloh
Freetown, Sierra Leone, Munda Fortune thirty-five years old has on Thursday, 31 October, 2024, made his first appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.2 on one count charge of Larceny contrary to section 2 of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of offence, the accused person on Wednesday 24 July 2024, at Freetown Road, Lumley, Freetown, did steal from vehicle with Registration Number ESQ 730, one black pack bag value Five Hundred New Leones (NLE500), containing one grey Apple lap top computer value Forty-Two Thousand and Eighty-four New Leones (NLE42,084), one Samsung Galaxy S9 mobile phone value Twenty-two Thousand Two Hundred and Eleven New Leones (NLE22,211), four valid Sierra Leonean Passport Booklet value Nine Thousand Two Hundred New Leones (NLE9,200), National Identification Card value One Hundred and Forty-five Leones (NLE145), Motor Driver’s Licenses value Eight Hundred new Leones (NLE800), the sim of Three Thousand United States Dollars ($3,000 USD) equivalent to Seventy-one Thousand One Hundred New Leones (NLE71,100), the sum of Six Thousand New Leones (NLE 6,000) all to the total value of One Hundred and Sixty-six Thousand and Sixty-eight New Leones (NLE166,068) and other properties of values, property of Cyrus Lusenie.
In a bid to progress with the prosecution, Inspector Sorie Conteh led in prosecution witness number one Cyrus Lusenie, a lawyer.
Testified in court, he did recognize the accused person at the dock. He did recall on the 24th July 2024, he drove his car from his office to Lumley Chicken Town Shop to buy provisions. According to him, he said that he packed and locked his vehicle very well. He then went into the shop to buy provisions. Upon returning to his vehicle, he noticed that the door was unlocked. Immediately, he checked at the back seat to look for his grey bag which contained the stolen items. Unfortunately, he didn’t see the bag.
At this point, the witness said that he went directly to the Lumley Police Station and reported the matter. He said that statement was obtained from him which helped in the investigation of the matter.
The witness said that due to the intervention of the Lumley Police Officers which he described in his words “force for good,” the accused person was arrested and brought to police custody.
Summarizing his testimony, the witness, Lawyer Cyrus Lusenie, pleaded with the bench for justice to prevail so that such could not be repeated to any other person in this country again.
Defending the accused person, the defense counsel C. Tamba, applied for bail for and on behalf of the accused person.
He told the bench that the accused person is a family man with children, and that he has never been arrested for any criminal offense before. He said that the accused person would not jump bail if bail is granted to him. He made this application pursuant to section 79 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1965.
In the interest of justice, Magistrate Bangura denied the bail application and remanded the accused person to the male correctional facility.
However, the case was adjourned to the 5th of November, 2024, for further hearings.
