By Janet Sesay
Kandeh Sesay, houseboy to the former Minister of Political and Public Affairs, Madam Nanette Thomas, on Friday 1 June, 2018 made his third appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Court No. 1 on the alleged offence of larceny servant involving 12,000 USD (twelve thousand United States dollars).
During proceedings, PW3, Emerson Williams (pharmacist), told the court that he knew the accused and could recall diverse dates, between Sunday 1st October 2017 and Monday 1st January 2018, when he went to the house of the complainant and saw a crowd of people.
He told the court that he was told by the complainant that the accused had just stolen from her safe the sum of USD 12,000 which, according to her, was given to her for the purpose of safe keeping.
The witness recalled asking the accused about the said allegation and, according to him, the accused confessed to having taken the said amount (USD12,000) but had used some part of it .
Emmerson told the Bench that the accused took him to the store and removed the money which was inside an envelope and upon counting it he discovered it to be USD 8,800.
He disclosed that it was at this point that he took out his Ipad and took pictures of the accused holding the remaining money in his hand. This was, according to the witness, to adduce more evidence. The said pictures were presented as exhibits.
The accused, he concluded, was then taken to the Criminal Investigations Department for investigations where he made a statement to the Police.
The accused was later charged with a one-count charge of larceny servant, which is contrary to section 17 (1) (a) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
The details of the charge were that, the accused, on diverse dates between Sunday 1st October 2017 and Monday 1st January 2018 at No 5 King Haman Road, off Brookfield’s in Freetown, being a servant employed by Nanette Thomas, stole the sum of 12,000 USD equivalent to Le 88,800,000 (eighty-eight million, eight hundred thousand Leones) which is the property of the said Nanette Thomas.
However the accused was granted fifty million Leones bail and the matter was adjourned to the 7th June 2018.