A High Court in Freetown has sentenced a 24-year-old woman, Kadija Kamara, to 11 months imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to consuming food and a soft drink at a local restaurant without paying.
Kamara had already spent 11 months on remand after the incident, which occurred at Alfisher Investment Company. The case was concluded on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, when Justice Mohamed Bawoh delivered his ruling.
While handing down the sentence, Justice Bawoh said he considered several factors, including the convict’s plea for mercy, her remorse, and the fact that she is a single mother of a two-year-old child. However, the judge also noted inconsistencies between the statement she made to the police and the account she later gave in court regarding the incident.
During the proceedings, Kamara told the court that she had visited Alfisher Restaurant with her boyfriend, who ordered a plate of rice and a bottle of soft drink. She said the man left shortly after the food was served, claiming he would return, but never came back.
According to her testimony, the restaurant management later asked her to settle the bill, but she was unable to do so because she had no money.
She said the matter was then reported to the authorities, leading to her arrest and detention at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters in **Freetown**, where she remained in custody throughout the investigation.
Kamara also alleged in court that she was tortured while in detention at CID and sustained injuries that required medical treatment at a hospital.
In a plea for leniency, her lawyer told the court that the accused had admitted to the offence without wasting the court’s time and was a first-time offender. The defence also highlighted that during the 11 months she spent in custody, Kamara had no contact with her young child and received no visits from relatives.
The prosecution was led by State Counsel Ronissa Beverley Harteston.
Court records show that Kamara was indicted on one count of office breaking with intent, relating to an incident that reportedly took place on April 21, 2025.
Source: Politco
