Nineteen (19) years old unemployed Emma Morlai Sesay, was on Wednesday remanded at the Female Correctional Centre by Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2 for allegedly stealing one week, five day old baby.

The incident which allegedly occurred on November 13th, 2024 at Fort Street in Freetown is in contrast with section 56 of the Defence Against the Persons Act of 1861.

According to court documents, Sesay is accused of taking a one-week and five-day-old baby boy Mustapha Sesay from his parents without their consent.

During Wednesday’s proceedings, the Prosecutor Sergeant 8811 Florence M. Wilson led her second prosecution witness Martha Sesay a businesswoman who said she knows the accused as her neighbour.

He recalled on 13th November 2024, something transpired between herself and the accused person. She said the accused went to her and told her that she had given birth to a baby boy. She continued that the accused took her baby and started playing with him. The witness told the court that the accused had not been around for some while and when she asked her why, she told her that she was with her aunt at Fort Street in Freetown.

The witnessed explained further that the accused told her to go with her to meet with her aunt at Fort Street on the very day of the incident. She said the accused was still with the child and that upon their arrival at Fort Street, the accused took her to the room of her boyfriend. The witness said she was with her sister Patricia. She added that at some point the accused brought the child to her for breastfeeding after which she took him away again and since she left, she never returned again. She said when it was about time to breastfeed the child again, she called for the child but she couldn’t see her and the child and they searched the entire area for the child but they could not see the accused.  The witness said around midnight she received a call from a police station in Makeni that the accused had been arrested there with the child and that on the following day they went to Makeni at Rogbaneh Police station where she identified herself as the mother of the child. She said she made statement to the police the baby was taken from her by the accused when he was a week and five day old. The witness stated that the matter was transferred to Central Police Station where she again made statement and her child was handed over to her after identification of the baby.

The witness was cross examined by A.N.D Musa Esq. and renewed his previous bail applications on behalf of the accused person

Meanwhile, Magistrate Bangura refused bail and sent the accused to the female correctional facility in Freetown, matter adjourned to the 19th February, 2025.