Justice Miatta Samba, presiding Judge at the High Court of Freetown, has sentenced Sorie Kamara, Kallie Mansaray and Morie Conteh to 16 months imprisonment after they had pleaded guilty to the charge of store breaking and larceny.
According to the particulars of offence, the accused on diverse dates between the 26th and 29th September 2013 in Freetown conspired together with other persons and broke into Sierratel office and stole eight hundred (800) metre length of cable.
The accused, who had earlier denied the allegation, confessed before the Judge after their legal representative, A. Sesay applied for the Judge to read the charges to them again.
Giving his plea of mitigation, Defence Counsel from the Legal Aid Board told the court that the accused are first time offenders and that they have learnt their lessons, saying the accused are bread winners of their respective families and that since their incarceration, their families had been suffering.
Lawyer Sesay pleaded with the Judge to tamper justice with mercy, adding that the Judge should consider that the accused had spent about three years in prison.
Giving her ruling, Justice Samba said she had listened to the plea by the defence counsel , stressing that the charges are serious and according to the Act , the accused were charged on aach count.
She said the accused and any other person should know that state institutions are meant to serve the public and not meant to be ruined or used selfishly.
“You are therefore sentenced to 16 months imprisonment,” Judge said, adding that the ruling will serve as a lesson to the accused and other people.
The state prosecutor was Umu Sumaray who had lead three witnesses in court before the accused finally pleaded guilty.
By Emmanuella Kallon
Friday Januar 29, 2016
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