Magistrate Abdul Sheriff has on Monday 26th October 2020 at the Freetown Magistrate Court No. 3 remanded 48 year old stone miner Alhaji Kallon at the Male Correctional Centre for allegedly stealing 50 bags of cement. The accused is currently before the court on three counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, malicious damage and larceny contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act of 1916.
Police alleged that the accused on Tuesday 13th October 2020 at George Brook, Leicester Peak in Freetown conspired with unknown persons to commit a crime. Police also alleged that the accused on the same date and place maliciously damaged a concrete fence valued at Le10 million and a makeshift structure valued at Le3 million, property of complainant Gloria Haja Wilson.
The police also alleged that the accused person on the same date and place stole 50 bags of cement valued at Le3.5 million and half a tonne of iron rods valued at Le3.1 million, totalling Le6.6 million, all properties of the complainant. Testifying in court, the complainant’s caretaker Jimmy Sillah said he knew the accused as his neighbour and recalled that around 10 am on the date in question, he left his residence to buy something at a shop.
He said he was at the shop when his younger brother (Mohamed) informed him that the accused and others were destroying the complainant’s house including the concrete fence, based on which he returned to the house and informed some of his friends about the incident. After informing them, he said they went to the scene and upon arrival they met the accused, “and Mohamed started using abusive languages and throwing stones at the accused”.
He said the accused and the unknown persons started running; giving chase, they caught the accused person. He said on that same day they took the accused to the Mountain Police Division and reported the matter, adding that he later made statement. Defence counsel Ibrahim Fofanah cross examined the witness and applied for bail on behalf of his client; but the prosecutor objected to bail.
Magistrate Sheriff remanded the accused and adjourned the matter to Monday 2nd November 2020.
By Sulaiman Karim Sesay