August 31, 2017 By Yusufu S.Bangura
First prosecution witness (PW1), Christian Paul Farma, has testified before Magistrate Albert Moody of Court No.1 in an ongoing trial involving one Ishmael Kamara and Yusifu Kanu.
The accused persons were before the court on three counts of conspiracy, burglary and larceny and receiving stolen goods contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
The police alleged that the first accused person (Ishmael Kamara) on Wednesday 19th July, 2017, at No.17 Wilberforce Road, Regent, conspired with other persons unknown to commit a felony to wit burglary and larceny.
The particulars continued that on the same date and place, the first accused person broke into and entered the dwelling house of Christian Paul Farma and stole therein one black bag containing fiscal cash of sixty million, four hundred and eighty eight thousand Leones, one black plasma Television, one black Lenevo laptop computer, one black Apple Ipad mini, one black Samsung Note4, one suitcase containing wearings, one brown coolman, all to a total value of one hundred and twenty one million, four hundred thousand Leones, property of Ishmael Kanu.
It also stated that the second accused person (Yusifu Kanu) on Thursday, 20th August, 2017, at Elliot Street, received one black plasma Television, one black Lenevo laptop computer, one black Apple Ipad mini, one black Samsung Note4, all to a total value of twenty three million, three hundred thousand Leones, property of Christian Paul Farma, knowing the same to be stolen.
Christian Paul Farma recognised the accused persons and recalled that on Wednesday 19 July 2017 he was in his room when he noticed that the backdoor was opened and the guard-bar of the toilet window was also cut.
“I immediately opened the front door and called the landlord (Pa Sawyer), who was upstairs,” he said.
According to him, he went to the Regent police post and reported the matter where he was accompanied by to scene by police officers.
PW1 said when the LUC and other police personnel arrived at the scene; they took some pictures of the damaged window.
Farma said the next day; he went to Akon police station to make another report.
He said the matter was later transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters because of the quantum of money involved.
He said he was called to the CID headquarters to identify some of the properties, which he did.
PW1 explained that the second accused told him that he had sold some of the properties, adding that he bought some of the items from the first accused.
Defense lawyer M.P.H.Sesay applied for the statement of the witness to be made available on the next adjourned date.
He also pleaded with the magistrate to consider bail for the accused persons.
Police prosecutor, ASP Samuel Kamara submitted that he was objecting to bail base on the strength of the evidence of the witness.
The matter was adjourned to 7th September 2017.