Four individuals have been remanded to prison following their arrest for theft involving a lawyer and a civil servant.
The accused, Munda Fortune, 41, a motor driver; Osman Kamara, 25, a motor driver; Abu Bakarr Bangura, 32, a petty trader; and Godwin Thomas, 29, a petty trader, appeared before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 2 in Freetown. They face charges including larceny, being an accessory after the fact, and receiving stolen goods. The defendants, however, have denied the charges.
The individuals in question are alleged to have stolen a vehicle, bearing registration number ESQ 730, a black backpack that contained a gray Apple laptop, a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, and various other items, valued at a total of one hundred and sixty-six thousand and sixty-eight Leones (166,068), along with other possessions belonging to Cyprus Lusenie, Esq.
Additionally, a police report indicates that the second and third accused were aware that Munda Fortune had stolen these items and subsequently assisted in selling the stolen items to Godwin Thomas, also known as Jay Nice, who belonged to Cyprus Lusenie.
The third accused is reported to have received the grey Apple laptop, valued at forty-two thousand and eighty-four Leones (42,084), knowing it to be stolen property belonging to Cyprus Lusenie.
During testimony, the prosecution witness and victim, lawyer Cyrus Lusenie, who resides in Babadorie, Lumley, recalled the events of July 24, 2024. He stated that he parked his Toyota 4Runner jeep near a shop opposite Chicken Town and left his bag, containing the aforementioned items, in the back seat while he attended to business inside the shop. Upon his return, Lusenie discovered that his bag was missing, although he had seen the first accused near his vehicle prior to the alleged theft.
Lusenie promptly reported the incident to the police, leading to the arrest of the third accused. He further noted that the first accused was subsequently apprehended in Bo District but had deleted the records of his work saved on the stolen laptop, which contained essential documents from his thirteen years of service as a civil servant and lawyer.
Lusenie also explained that a memory stick, included in the stolen bag, contained critical documents related to a negotiation with the World Bank, underscoring the urgency of his deadline for submission.
After providing his testimony, Lusenie was subjected to cross-examination by the defense counsel. Following the cross-examination, Magistrate Bangura remanded the accused individuals and adjourned the proceedings until November 5, 2024.
Comentarios