FREETOWN, 20 October 2026 – A 35-year-old Nigerian businessman, Terry Obia, risks 10 years imprisonment if he fails to refund US$9,090 he stole from a Freetown residence, after pleading guilty at the High Court.
Obia pleaded guilty to one count of Larceny in a Dwelling House, contrary to Section 13(a) of the Larceny Act 1916, before Justice Adrian Fisher at High Court No.1 on Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown.
State prosecutors told the court that in December 2024, Obia stole US$9,090 – equivalent to Le 237,600 at current rates – from the dwelling house of Paul Osunwa in Freetown.
When Justice Fisher asked him what happened to the money, Obia told the court that he invested the entire amount into a mining venture which later collapsed.
He said he had informed the complainant, Mr. Osunwa, about the loss and pleaded for more time to raise the money and make full restitution.
Justice Fisher, who is known for encouraging restitution in property offences, urged the convict to contact his family and relatives both in Sierra Leone and Nigeria to raise the funds before the next adjourned date. The judge warned that if he fails to repay the victim, he will be sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The matter has been adjourned to October 30, 2026, for restitution and sentencing.
Larceny in a dwelling house carries a maximum of 14 years under Sierra Leone law, but judges often consider repayment to victims, first-offender status, and guilty plea in mitigation.
