By Hassanatu I. Conteh
Accused Regina Essen on Thursday, June 13, 2024, made another appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Court No.1 on four counts, two counts of malicious damage contrary to Section 51 of the Malicious Damage Act of 1861, office breaking and larceny contrary to Section 26 (1) of the Larceny Act of 1916, and threatening to set a house on fire contrary to Section 50 of Malicious Damage Act of 1861.
According to the particulars of offence, on the first count, accused Regina Essen on November 27, 2023, at No.16B Wilkinson Road in Freetown, with intent to steal, broke and entered into the Royal Air Moroc office and therein stole a cash amount of NLe39,925 (thirty-nine thousand nine hundred and twenty-five leones), an HP laptop, two jerry cans of diesel, and a 23kg luggage with a total value of NLe85,867 (eighty-five thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven leones), property of Royal Air Moroc.
On the second and third counts, it was alleged that the accused on the same date and place maliciously damaged doors, three cupboards and seven CCTV camera plus a DVR with a total value of NLe76,211 (seventy-six thousand two hundred and eleven leones), property of Royal Air Moroc.
On count 4, the accused on the same date and place allegedly threatened to set on fire the house at No.16B Wilkinson Road in Freetown, where the office of Royal Air Moroc is located.
The police prosecutor led Detective Andrew Amara to testify, who said he is attached at the CID headquarters. Detective Amara recognised the accused person in the dock.
Recalling November 3, 2023, the witness continued that he was on duty at the CID headquarters when he revived a transfer file containing the details of the accused and the complainant’s statement, which was subsequently shown to the court and later tendered to form part of the court’s records.
He further testified that on February 12, 2024, when the accused was arrested and brought in to the station, he and Detective Inspector Konneh M. obtained voluntary statements from the accused in Krio (recorded in English), which was read and explained over to her. He added that at the end of the interview accused Regina Essen affixed her right hand thumbprint to the document attesting that it is true.
The document was shown to and tendered in court.
The witness continued that on the same day the complainant presented a CCTV footage, which they viewed and saw that the accused was in the footage. The CCTV footage was handed to the cyber analysts, after which he, Detective Constable Sheku Turay alongside the accused and complainant visited the crime scene and discovered the broken doors and other findings.
According to the witness, on the 17th of February 2024, he and Detective Inspector M. Sunifu obtained additional cautionary statements from accused Regina Essen, which at the end she signed with her right hand thumbprint qualifying that it was true. The statement was also shown to and tendered in court.
Adding to his testimony the witness stated that on the same date he and Detective Inspector M. Sunifu charged the accused with office breaking and malicious damage. At the end of the interview the charges were read and explained to the accused and she affixed her right thumbprint attesting that it is true.
Meanwhile, the statement was shown to and tender in court as evidence
The defence counsel sought for a short date for him to prepare to cross-examine the witness, and it was granted to him by the magistrate.
The accused is on bail and the matter was adjourned to June 27 for further hearings.