By Hassanatu I. Conteh
A 23-year-old unemployed man, Mohamed Kamara, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment or restore a stolen air conditioner valued at NLe55,200 after appearing before Magistrate John Manso Fornah of Pademba Road Court No. 2 in Freetown on three counts of larceny and malicious damage.
According to the particulars of offence, on Thursday, 1st October 2026, at Western Palace Beach Bar and Restaurant, Aberdeen, Freetown, Kamara stole one Midea air conditioner valued at US$2,300, equivalent to NLe55,200, property of the management of the establishment.
The accused was also charged for maliciously damaging the said air conditioner, contrary to Section 51 of the Malicious Damage Act of 1861.
On the third count, he was alleged to have maliciously damaged an air conditioner pipe valued at NLe800, also belonging to the management of the restaurant.
The defendant was arrested on the same date at 06:00 hours, while the matter was reported to the police on 8th October 2026.
When the matter came up on Monday, 2nd November, 2026, the defendant was present in court alongside the complainant. The prosecution was led by D.S.P. Conteh, who informed the court that Kamara was a first-time offender.
In his plea for mitigation, the defendant asked the court to temper justice with mercy.
Magistrate Fornah subsequently sentenced him to 24 months imprisonment on count one, another 24 months on count two and six months imprisonment on count three.
The Magistrate ordered that all three sentences should run concurrently and in full, meaning that the defendant would serve the sentences at the same time rather than one after another.
The court further ordered that he could avoid the prison terms by restoring the stolen air conditioner or paying its equivalent value of NLe55,200 on counts one and two, and restoring the damaged pipe or paying NLe800 on count three.
Magistrate Fornah also ordered that the exhibits be restored to the complainant pursuant to Section 560 of the Criminal Procedure Act of 2024.