A security guard Momodu Bah sixty years old who was arrested by Detective Police Constable 17845 Koroma M appeared before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Ross Road Court No. 1 for allegedly breaking into Rahim Mohamed Foreign Exchange Bereau at Calaba Town in the East of Freetown, and stole One Hundred Thousand and Fifty-Two Thousand Hundred Leones – NLe152, 400.
Bah appeared before the court for on a count charge of housebreaking and larceny contrary to law. It was alleged that the accused, on Monday 29 May 2023 at K-Step, Calaba Town in the Est of Freetown, broke into the complainant’s Foreign Exchange Bearua at the aforesaid place and stole therein certain valuables worth thousands of Leones.
Led in evidence by Police Constable 14032 Koroma E. F. Prosecution Witness (PW)2, Mason Amara Musa residing at Orugu, Allen Town also in the East of Freetown, informed that court that he know the complainant as his boss and recognised the accused as a security guard attached to the complainant. Musa recalled 29 May 2023.
On the said date in the morning, he went to enquire from him if they are going to work on that particular day. The witness said the complainant’s wife whose name was not mentioned, informed him that theft had occurred at the said office.
Upon receipt of the information, he said he instantly left for the crime scene, upon his arrival, he saw the accused. He said when he interrogated the accused in respect of the incident he explained that the accused told him that he went to bed by 3am.
The witness added at the crime scene, he discovered that the door leading to the said office was damaged and the entire office was ransacked, adding that he also observed that the television and laptops have been carted away. After few seconds he said the complaint arrived at the crime scene, noting that he and the complainant left for the Calaba Town Police Post and reported the matter against the accused.
PW2 continued that he, the complainant and a team of police officers visited the crime scene and took photographs.
The accused was invited to the station, disclosing that when the police interrogated him in his presence, the accused led him, the complainant and police officers left for the accused’s residence at K- Step axis.
The witness said when they arrived at the said residence an old woman informed them that the accused had left the said place for the past two years.
He said the accused led them again to another residence at Yams Farm, but the accused’s wife whose name was not disclosed, told them that since then she had transferred at the said residence, she had not yet eyes on the accused for three months.
Musa rounded up his evidence by explaining that he made a statement to the police at the Calaba Town Police Station.
During cross examination by the defence counsel, Solomon Maada Gbongboto asked what the said office meant for.
Responding, he said the office is meant for money transaction. Lawyer Gbongboto renewed and adopted his previous application for bail on behalf of the accused, by relying on Section 79 (2) of the he Criminal Procedure Act No. 32 of 1965.
Responding, Magistrate Kekura said during the testimonies of PW1 and 2, it sees that the accused have no fix abode and was denied bail due to the seriousness of the allegations. Magistrate Kekura vowed to consider bail upon hearing prosecution witness on the next adjourned date. The matter was adjourned to Thursday 19 July 2023 for further hearing.
