Twenty years old Julius Aruna Mongoh, a scrap metal dealer made his first appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No.1 in Freetown on two count charges to wit malicious damage contrary to section 51 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861 and Larceny Contrary to section 2 of the Larceny Act of 1916.

According to the particulars of offence, on Saturday 1st February, 2025 at the Government Printing Department, New Englandville in the western area of the Republic of Sierra Leone, maliciously damaged four air conditioners value thirty thousand leones each all to the total value of one hundred and twenty thousand leones (120,000) property of the Government Printing Department New Englandville in Freetown.

Count two further stated that on the same date and place, the accused person stole four value thirty thousand leones each air conditioners all to the total value of one hundred and twenty thousand leones (120,000) property of the Government Printing Department New Englandville, Freetown.

When the charges were read and explained to the accused, he pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Inspector Kadie M. Taylor led in prosecution witness number two DPC 14283

Mariama Fatmata Bah attached to the Criminal Investigations Department, New Englandville Police Station said she knows the complainant and the accused person in the matter. She recalled on 1st February, 2025, she was on duty at the said station when the complainant arrested and brought the accused together with exhibit which was damaged air condition. The complainant made report against the accused person and the matter was assigned to her for investigation and handed over the exhibit to the exhibit clerk herself together with the scene of crime officer, Sergeant 10783 Nyallay A.M visited the scene of crime at Government Printing Department New England. She observed that the air conditioners were damaged. She took snapshots of the scene with her Tecno Spark 10 mobile phone the said mobile phone that was contained the pictures of the scene of crime produced and tendered as exhibit A. She later developed and printed them into pictures the pictures were in the custody of the police. She produced and tendered it to form part of the court records. They returned to the New England Ville police station and obtained statements from the complainant and witnesses.

On the 1st February, 2025 herself together with Sergeant 107813 Nyallay A.M cautioned and questioned the accused in krio which was recorded in English and at the conclusion of the statement, it was read over and explained to the accused which he admitted it to be true and correct by appending his right hand thumbprint witness by the said investigator. The voluntary caution statement from the accused was produced and tendered in court to form part of the court records.

On 3rd February, 2025 herself together with the said investigator charged the accused with the offence he is standing trial on by using the same procedure in his voluntary caution statement the charge statement was produced and tendered in court to form part of the court records.

The accused was not legally represented.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Kekura granted the accused bail in the sum of two hundred thousand leones one surety in like sum and the surety must be resident in Freetown to produce valid identity card depicting his or her address in Freetown and bail to be approved by the Deputy Assistant Registrar. Matter was adjourned to the 26th March, 2025.