By Hassanatu I. Conteh
Magistrate John Manso Fornah of the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 2 has sentenced Alpha Umaru Newland to 36 months imprisonment for larceny and malicious damage involving property belonging to the Ministry of Finance.
The convict was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment on Count One and 18 months on Count Two, with both sentences ordered to run concurrently at the Male Correctional Centre.
The court heard that on Monday, March 23, at the Ministry of Finance on George Street, Freetown, Newland stole one generator control system copper cable valued at Le137,000 and two 100-amp batteries valued at Le4,500 each, bringing the total value of the stolen property to Le146,000, property of the Ministry of Finance.
The particulars of the offence further stated that on the same date and at the same place, the convict maliciously damaged one set of generator control system copper cable valued at Le137,000, property of the Ministry of Finance.
Newland appeared before Magistrate Fornah to answer to Larceny, contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act, 1916, and Malicious Damage, contrary to Section 51 of the Malicious Damage Act, 1861.
During the proceedings, the convict was convicted on the two counts and the matter proceeded to sentencing. In his ruling, Magistrate Fornah took into consideration that the convict was a first-time offender and had pleaded for mercy.
The Magistrate further considered the circumstances of the case before imposing the sentences. On count one, Magistrate Fornah sentenced Newland to 36 months imprisonment.
On count two, he sentenced the convict to 18 months imprisonment.
The Magistrate ordered that both sentences run concurrently at the Male Correctional Centre. He further ordered that the period already spent by the convict in custody be taken into account as part of the sentence. The court accordingly concluded the matter with the said order.