By Musa Paul Feika
One Ibrahim Benwa last Friday appeared before Magistrate Alhaji Sulaiman Koroma at the Ross Road Magistrates’ Court No.1for the offences of larceny in a dwelling house at Kola Tree, Calaba Town, east end Freetown on 5th July, 2020.
The police prosecution witness, Emma Victoria Turay in her evidence said she recognized the accused as her houseboy and recalled the aforesaid date.
According to the witness, on that day, she was at Rutile when she received a telephone call from her son Ezekiel Sam in the morning hours informing her that the accused has allegedly stolen certain properties and was on the run.
She said upon receiving the information, she left Rutile for Freetown the following day and discovered that her bedroom was ransacked and the bedroom ceiling was opened with footprints on it.
The witness said she discovered that certain valuable items including a computer laptop and US$1,000 cash equivalent to Le10, 000, 000.00 were missing, adding that she immediately reported the matter at the Calaba Town Police Post.
The witness said after reporting the matter, herself and a team of detective police officers from the Calaba Town Police Post visited the crime scene at Kola Tree Calaba Town and took photographs.
She continued that after a few days, she got information from one of her sisters in Kenema that the accused was in Tongo Fields, Lower Bambara in Kenema, adding that upon receiving the information about the whereabouts of the accused, she immediately travelled to Tongo Fields with a warrant of arrest from the Calaba Town Police Post.
The witness said upon arrival at Tongo Fields, she contacted the Police Division and the accused was apprehended and transferred to the Calaba Town Police Post for further investigation.
The accused is standing for the offences of larceny in a dwelling house, contrary to the Larceny Act of 1816.
The police charge sheet indicated that the accused on 5th July, 2020 at Kola Tree, Calaba Town in Freetown entered into the dwelling house of the complainant and stole therein valuable properties worth millions of Leones and US$1,000 cash.
The accused was unrepresented and was also refused bail. He was remanded at the Pademba Road Male Correctional Centre in Freetown.
The matter comes up again on 5th August, 2020.