Drivers Behind Bars For Theft

By Fatmata Mohamed Bangura
Alhaji Conteh a driver and Osman Dumbuya a driver have appeared before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2 in Freetown on two count charges to wit Conspiracy to law and Larceny Contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the particulars of offence on Thursday 13th June 2024 at Youyi Building the Western Area of Freetown conspired together and with other persons unknown to commit a felony to wit Larceny.
Count two further stated that on the same date and place the accused persons did steal one white Toyota 4 Runner Jeep with Garage number plate (GP) 79802408 valued at Thirty-Five Thousand United States Dollars ($35000) which is equivalent to Six Hundred Thousand Leones (NLe600,000)) property of Aminata Dumbuya.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Dialla Wellington led prosecution witness number One, Aminata Dumbuya a Business Executive and Energy Access professional.
Aminata Dumbuya testified that she knows the first accused person as her driver for four months and that she came to know the second accused in the matter.
She recalled that on the 13th June 2024 something transpired between herself and the accused persons in the morning hours and that herself together with the first accused went to Youyi Building, where she was having a meeting, after the meeting she called the first accused to pick her up but he could not answer her calls.
She furthered that she called her several times but that he did not answer for which she walked around the Youyi Building compound but could not find the accused.
That she called him again to confirm and that the accused eventually picked up and told her they went to change a flat tyre on the vehicle.
That since he informed her about it the accused never picked her call again, the witness said she went to the tyre shop where the accused said he was but could not find him there.
She asked the owner of the shop whether a vehicle of her type went there.
He told her nothing of sort went there, she called the accused again he didn’t pick up and later his phone was switched off, she then got her device and tracked her computer that was in the car the computer was detected at Joe Town Newton, Western Rural District.
The Witness said she went home and explained the issue to her elder brother who informed the Police about it adding that 40 minutes later, pictures of her vehicle and the second accused driving it was shown to her stating that the vehicle is at Kambia District Check Point.
The witness said she went to Port Loko where she met them, her vehicle and laptop were intact and she was able to reclaim them and that she made statement to the police.
The witness was cross examined by the defence counsel I. SY Kamara, and he applied for bail for the accused persons that they are Sierra Leoneans resident within this jurisdiction and that they have fixed abode.
That they are not at flight risk as they have reliable sureties who are willing and ready to go into recognizance on their behalf.
He made his application pursuant to Section 79 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act No.32 of 1965.
Main while, Magistrate Santigie Bangura refused bail and sent the accused persons to the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown, the matter was adjourned to the 10th July 2024