September 20, 2016 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Lawyer Charles Francis Margai, representing all the accused persons in the case of alleged electricity theft, has accused the Sierra Leone Police of ‘frivolous charging’.
Mr. Margai was addressing Magistrate Dr. Abou Bakarr Binneh-Kamara at the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No.1, when Police Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent Samuel Kamara, informed the court that they needed to do an amendment to the charges for which the accused persons were in court.
“My Lord, we ought to send a strong message to the Sierra Leone Police for putting frivolous charges on people. These accused persons were charged with serious offences and the prosecution is yet to make progress in the matter,” said the senior private barrister of more than 40 years standing.
He further stated that on the next adjourned date, he would make an application for the first accused to be tried separately.
The trio of Thomas Hagatay, Mohamed Bangura and Daniel Kargbo are being preliminarily investigated on three counts of illegal extraction of electricity energy, contrary to Section 10 of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the prosecution, the accused persons on Wednesday, 24 August, 2016 at No.9 Peninsular Road, Cassava Farm, Juba Hill in Freetown, fraudulently converted electricity supply from the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) with intent to divert same to the said house.