Two Businessmen Denied Bail Over Theft Of $37,100 Medical Machine

By Fatmata Mohamed Bangura

Two businessmen, Abdul Jabba Mansaray and Joseph Bellon, made another appearance before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at Pademba Road Court No.2 on five count charges ranging from conspiracy, larceny, obtaining money by false pretenses and receiving stolen goods contrary to the Larceny Act 1916.
The charges include conspiracy contrary to law, larceny contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act 1916, obtaining money by false pretenses contrary to Section 32(1) of the Larceny Act 1916, and receiving stolen goods contrary to Section 33(1) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the charge sheet, the first defendant, Abdul Jabba Mansaray, on 13th January 2026 at No. 3 Bathurst Street, Freetown, conspired together with other persons unknown to commit a crime to wit larceny.
Count two further states that Abdul Jabba Mansaray, on the same date and place, allegedly stole one Vivid IQ Echo Machine valued at thirty-seven thousand one hundred United States dollars ($37,100 USD), property of Professor Dr. James Russell.
Counts three and four allege that Abdul Jabba Mansaray, on 28th and 29th January 2026, at No. 3 Bathurst Street, Freetown, with intent to defraud through Orange Money, obtained the sum of two thousand five hundred Leones (Le2,500) from Fatmata Jullet Nicolls and one thousand and fifteen Leones (Le1,015) from George Russell, under the pretext that he would use the money as transport to produce the stolen Vivid IQ Echo Machine, knowing the same to be false.
Count five alleges that the second defendant, Joseph Bellon, between 13th January and 28th January 2026, at Kossoh Town, Freetown, received one Vivid IQ Echo Machine valued at $37,100 USD from Abdul Jabba Mansaray, knowing the same to be stolen property belonging to Professor Dr. James Russell.
Testifying before the court, Prosecution Witness One (PW1) Fatmata Jullet Nicolls, a nurse attached to Prime Care Medical Clinic, said she recognized the complainant as her boss and the defendants in the matter.
She recalled that between 13th January and 29th January 2026, the said machine, which the complainant used to scan patients’ hearts, was used on 13th January 2026 by the complainant before he left the clinic and went home.
She said later she received a call from her boss informing her that the machine had gone missing. She added that they initially advised him to post the missing item on social media, which he refused at first but later agreed to do on 28th January 2026.
PW1 further testified that Dr. Russell later forwarded a telephone number to her, informing her that the person who owned the number claimed he had the machine and stated that he bought it on the street.
She said after receiving the information, she called the number, and the person confirmed that he had contacted Dr. Russell and informed him that he had the machine. She added that the caller told her he was attending a workshop in Kono District and had the machine with him.
She said the unknown caller later sent a photograph of the said machine for confirmation that he had it. The photograph was printed out and produced and tendered in court as Exhibit A1–A26.
PW1 further testified that the unknown caller requested transport money to enable him to travel to Kenema to take additional photographs of the machine and send them to her. She said she sent one thousand Leones (Le1,000) to him, which he confirmed receiving, and the following day he sent another photograph of the machine together with its bag.
At this point, defense counsel A.B. Sesay applied for bail on behalf of both defendants on the grounds that they are Sierra Leoneans with reliable sureties willing to enter into recognizance on their behalf, adding that if granted bail, they would not interfere with prosecution witnesses.
Magistrate John Manso Fornah, having heard the bail application, refused bail to both defendants due to the seriousness of the offences. The matter was adjourned to 28th April 2026 for continuation of hearing.