In a recent legal development, three individuals, identified as Dauda Kamara, Zachariah Swaray Bay, and Bai Fullah Kamara, also known as I.T, were remanded to the Male Correctional Centre by Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Ross Road Court No.1.
They stand accused of stealing property valued at over Nle168,000 from the Sierra Fishing Company located at Kissy Dockyard in Freetown.
These accused individuals faced four counts, including conspiracy, store breaking, larceny, and receiving stolen goods, all of which are in violation of the law.
The alleged incident occurred on Monday, August 21, 2023, at Kissy Dockyard in Freetown. It is claimed that the accused persons conspired with unidentified accomplices to break into and gain entry to the Sierra Fishing Company.
They are alleged to have stolen two welding machines, a zummertible pump, welding cable, electrical cable, and other valuable items, amounting to a total value of Nle168,805, all of which belonged to Sierra Leone Fishing Company.
Furthermore, it is alleged that on the same date, the second accused received a stolen welding machine worth Nle44,000 at the Government Boatyard Compound in Kissy Dockyard, a piece of equipment belonging to the aforementioned fishing company.
During the legal proceedings, Ahmed Al-Saleh, a Syrian national and the Chief Security Officer at Sierra Fishing Company, testified as the first prosecution witness. He identified the accused individuals and recalled the events of the specified date.
According to Al-Saleh, he received a phone call from the second accused on that date, instructing him to go to the scene of the crime. Upon arrival, the second accused informed him that the first accused wished to explain something to him.
During their investigation, Al-Saleh discovered that a window guard had been damaged and removed. He also mentioned that he asked the first accused to hand over his mobile phone, but the accused refused and attempted to flee by jumping into the sea.
Following this testimony, the police prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Osman M. Bangura, requested an adjournment to confer with his witness, a request granted by Magistrate Kekura.
Before the adjourned date, defense counsel A.B. Kamara renewed and adopted an earlier application for bail on behalf of the first accused. However, Magistrate Kekura denied bail to the first and second accused individuals, opting to remand them at the Male Correctional Centre. The third accused person was granted bail.
The case is set to resume on September 27, 2023, for further proceedings.
