Head of Operations, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Sahr Septimus Mathew Jimmy has on Monday 16th November 2020 at the Freetown Magistrate Court No.1 testified against Joseph Sahr Sandy in the ongoing preliminary investigation into an alleged Le11 million theft case. The police alleged that the accused on Thursday 15th October 2020 at the UNFPA head office on Signal Hill, Freetown stole Le11 million belonging to one Mary Kargbo.
According to Jimmy, he was in town on Thursday 18th October when he received a call from the office that an incident had occurred there. Upon reaching the office he said he was requested to go into the IT office and view the CCTV footage. When the footage was played for him, he said he saw the accused Joseph Sahr Sandy in the corridor, who after looking in the direction of an opened office door looked in the other direction, and took keys from his pocket and opened and entered into the finance office.
“After a while he came out with something under his left armpit. Since the 15 October 2020, when he went into the finance office, he never reported at the office.”
He said as the head of operations, he cares for his staff, adding that he tried contacting Sandy, whose phone was off. After consulting another colleague who gave him another number, he called and finally contacted Sandy. Asked why he had not been coming to work, the witness said he told him that his mother was sick and admitted. He then told him to come to the office so he could give him some money.
According to Sahr Jimmy, the accused later agreed for them to meet, during which he detained and questioned him.
Asked about the Le11 million, he said the accused told him that he knew nothing about it, admitting that he’d only taken Le4 million. Because it was late, Jimmy said he kept the accused in the office until morning, when he took him to the CID, from where the matter was later referred to the Congo Cross police station.
The accused was further interrogated and a search warrant was issued to search his house, where the police reportedly found Le125,000 under his bed that was taken as exhibit. The head of operation said the accused’s wife had opted to repay theLe2.5 million at the Congo Cross police station.
Witness Sahr Jimmy’s attempt to produce the video footage to the court was rejected by Magistrate Bonnie, citing he was not the right person to tender that evidence, adding, “The IT specialist should be the one doing that because he is an expert.”
When it was time for the accused to be cross examined, the defence counsel pleaded with Magistrate Bonnie for it to be adjourned, which was granted.
Sandy is currently on bail, and the case was adjourned to 24th November 2020.
By Anthony Macauley (Intern)