Three employees of Africell Mobile Company, Engineer Mamoud Kamara, Alie Barrie, and Amara Sesay, are embroiled in a legal battle over their alleged involvement in a high-value theft from the Sierra Leone Telecommunication Company (SierraTel).
The stolen equipment is estimated to be worth over three billion leones.
The accused appeared on August 27, 2024, before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court in Freetown.
They face charges of conspiracy and larceny, with the indictment detailing that the theft took place on July 3, 2024, in Komrabai Village, Lokomasama, Loko District.
According to the prosecution, the stolen items include a B15 3606 CDMA 3/2 site, six Aviat Eclipse IGbps microwave links, a DC rectifier cabinet, twelve deep cycle VLAR Gel batteries, among other equipment, collectively valued at Le3,973,170,000.
During the court session, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Dalia Wellington, representing the prosecution, noted that the complainant was out of the country and unable to attend the hearing. ASP Wellington requested an adjournment to facilitate the complainant’s return.
Defense attorney Maddieu Sesay argued for the defendants’ release on bail, emphasizing their right to bail and the need for a timely trial. He pointed out that the accused have already spent 27 days in detention, including time at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters, and have presented reliable sureties.
However, Magistrate Kekura denied the bail application, citing the severity of the charges. He urged the prosecution to expedite proceedings, warning that the trial would proceed even in the absence of the complainant at the next hearing.
The case has been adjourned to September 3, 2024.
