September 1, 2016 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Issa Samura, a driver at the Central Medical Stores in Freetown was yesterday remanded at the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road by Magistrate Dr. Abou Backarr Binneh-Kamara for allegedly stealing one Toyota Hilux vehicle worth Le140 million Leones.
The accused was charge with larceny, contrary to Section 2 of the larceny Act of 1916 as the prosecution alleges that on 14 August, 2016 he stole a white Toyota Hilux with registration number AKQ 907, valued US$20,000, equivalent to Le140m, property of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, at the Central Medical Stores.
According to Police report, on Monday, 15 August, 2016 and at around 11a.m., Director of Central Medical Stores, Michael Jack Lansana, arrested and brought the accused to the New England Ville Police Station, together with two other suspects – Bockarrie Mansaray and Foday Mansaray.
The report stated that the director reported to the police that between 11thand 15th August, 2016 at the Central Medical Stores, New England Ville, Brookfields, in Freetown, the trio conspired with unknown others and stole the vehicle in question.
The Police facts states that in the evening of Thursday, 11 August, 2016 the accused parked the said missing vehicle in the compound of the Central Medical Stores after duty and handed over the switch key to the complainant for safe keeping, as that was the normal routine.
The report continues that on Friday, 12 August, the accused reported for work without driving the said vehicle because he didn’t have access to the vehicle’s switch key.
The report further states that the accused on Saturday, 13 August, visited the Central Medical Stores compound and that he was seen in the vehicle at night by the night security guard – Bockarrie Mansaray.
on that same Saturday night, according to the police report, one Foday Mansaray, a driver at the Central Medical Stores, also parked his vehicle with registration number AKQ 909 in the same compound, but informed the security that he would spend the night in the said vehicle with an excuse that he could not go home because he had had a quarrel with his wife.
“On Sunday 14 August, 2016 at about 5:30 hours, the accused, without putting on the head lights of the stolen vehicle, drove it in a quiet manner towards the exit gate of the Central Medical Stores compound, and Foday Mansaray, who was also in his own vehicle, saw the movement but could not ascertain as to who was driving,” the report stated.
According to the report, Mansaray stopped the accused at the gate, who told him that he was going out on an assignment, but he did not return until Monday, 15 August, when he reported for duty without the vehicle.
“When the accused was questioned, he denied knowledge about the vehicle and stated that since he left the compound on Friday, he only returned on the Monday, but later admitted that he entered the compound on Saturday,” the report stated.
Despite a bail application was made by Lawyer J. Tobby, Magistrate Binneh-Kamara refused and remanded the accused until the adjourned date.