Theft at ECSL Office
By Bonnke Fofanah
Theft has reportedly occurred at the office of the Electoral Commission of the Republic of Sierra Leone and four people are currently standing trial before Magistrate Kekura at the Pademba Road Court No. 1.
The four accused persons are Mohamed Turay a Labourer, Ishmael Sesay a Security guard, Charles F. Yonjai a IT technician and Sahr Kamanda a business man.
They were arraigned before the court on three count charges to wit Conspiracy, store breaking and larceny and receiving stolen Goods.
According to the particulars of offence, on the 12th September 2023 at the ECSL office in Wellington Branch, in the Western Area in Freetown, conspired together and with other persons unknown to commit a felony to wit store breaking and larceny and broke and entered into the store of ECSL office and stole one hundred and forty-two tablets value four million one hundred and ten Kenya Shillings equivalent to millions of leones, properties of the Electoral commission of Sierra Leone ECSL.
Testifying before the court, Corporal 11692 Paul Jusu attached at the CID headquarters Pademba Road in Freetown, recalled on the 29th October 2023; when the matter was transferred to him from the Regional East for further investigation. He further told the court that the files contained voluntary caution statement of the 1st and 2nd accused persons. Corporal 11692 Paul Jusu tender the statement of the 1st and 2nd accused persons to form part of the court records. He continued that on the 30th October 2023, a team of Detective headed by himself together with the 1st and 2nd accused persons visited the ECSL Compound at Wellington. Upon their arrival, he told the court that one Solomon Villa took them to the Information Technology Room where the CCTV video clips were played and the first accused identified himself in the video. He added that they took photographs of the scene. He further disclosed in court that, on that very day, the first accused admitted that he stole quantity of the tablets at the ECSL Compound, adding that, the 2nd accused also corroborated his statement. He also testified in court that the 4th accused person informed them that the stolen items were sold to the 4th accused person. Together with Sergeant 9715 Lansana, they obtained statement from the accused persons and the said statement was produce and tendered in court.
On the 2nd November 2023, he charged the accused persons to court.
Counsel representing the accused persons A.Kamara Esq applied for bail but it was denied and Magistrate Kekura adjourned the matter to the 18th March 2024.
