Twenty-five-year-old Kelfala Kargbo, a caretaker, thirty-five-year old Issa Tarawally, a businessman, and fifty – two-year old Mohamed Tarawally, a labourer made their first appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at Pademba Road Court No1 in Freetown.

They were before the court on four count charges of conspiracy, store breaking, larceny and for receiving stolen goods contatry to law.

According to the particulars of offence, on count one and two sometimes in May 2024, at Olufumi Drive Gloucester village, the accused conspired together with other persons unknown to commit a felony of breaking a store.

They entered into the store of Olufumi Lola Johnson and stole therein one power rush generator enerator, thirty pieces of three quarter plywood, nineteen and half bags of cement,one submissive pump machine,one roll water conduct pipe and other assorted items all to a total value of three hundred and three thousand eight hundred and fifteen Leones(NLE303,815/00) property of Olufumi Lola Johnson.

Count three and four, on the above date and place Issa Tarawally did receive one power rush generator, seven tons of iron rods, two tons of 8 mm iron rods, and five tons of 15 mm iron rods, and one submissive pump machine as properties of Olufumi Lola Johnson.

When the charge was read and explained to the accused persons, there was no plea given.

AssistantSuperintendent of police Ibrahim S Mansary was the lead Prosecution witness number one.

Olufumi Lola Johnson resides at Gloucester Lola Drive. He is a pastor and entrepreneur based in the United States of America.

She said she recognized the first accused as her caretaker and other accused.

She recalled sometimes in may 2024, she was in USA when she received an information from Frederick of some missing items which he said were inside her house.

After receiving that information she immediately informed her lawyer and she instructed  fredrick to make statement at the police.

She said that she later arrived in Sierra Leone and noticed that the first accused was not at the house and so she called the first accused and house assistant Binta Bah but all to no avail.

According to her she discovered that the door of the store was broken, and so she entered into the store and noticed that her 14 tones of iron rods, concrete cutter and other assorted items were missing.

All items total three hundred and three thousand eight hundred and fifteen Leones.

She further revealed that on the 22nd October she was coming to PZ (central of Freetown) when she saw the first accused heading to Siaka Stevens Street.

So she asked a keke driver to take her around cotton tree area to inform the police to get the suspect arrested.

She said the accused person was arrested. She said she made a statement to the police station, and later informed her lawyer of the issue.

The next day she was at home when she received a call from the police officer and informed her that they were going to search the house of the accused person.

Upon doing the search, she then went to the CID (Criminal Investigations Department) herself together with the police. The accused person proceeded to the place where he sold the items at a place called New London.

Upon their arrival they met the second accused and was asked to open his shop for the police  to identify the missing items.

She identified the generator, iron rods, ply wood,and pvc which he denied that they belonged to the complainant.

She told the court that the third accused met them at the shop of the second accused who told them that the water pump was sold to him by the first accused.

She said they were all arrested and brought by the police officer at the CID headquarters.

The first accused who was unrepresented  by legal counsel was crossexamined.

Defense counsel for the second and third accused persons crossexamined the witness to prove the innocence of his clients.

The defense counsel T.W Davies, renewed his previous bail application for and on behalf of his clients.

Magistrate Kekura refused bail and caused all accused persons to be remanded at the male correctional facility in Freetown.

The matter comes up  again on 14th  November, 2024.