Duo sentenced to 18 months in prison
April 13, 2018 By Yusufu S. Bangura
The duo of Adikalie Kargbo and Santigie Sankoh were yesterday, April 12, sentenced to 18 months in prison by Magistrate Santigie Bangura following their conviction for larceny and receiving stolen goods, respectively.
The duo was charged with two counts of larceny and receiving stolen goods contrary to section 33(1) of the Larceny Act 1916.
Police Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Hawa Bah, had alleged that the first convict (Adikalie Kargbo) on Thursday, 7th December 2017, at the Parliament Building, Tower Hill in Freetown, stole one iPhone valued US$850, equivalent to Le6,375,000, property of Maria Brewer, the United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone.
The prosecutor had further alleged that the second convict (Santigie Sankoh) did receive stolen goods, to wit one iPhone 6s, property of the American Ambassador to Sierra Leone at Lightfoot Boston Street in Freetown.
In his judgment, Magistrate Bangura applauded the prosecutor for bringing forth witnesses who testified in the matter and that he had considered the plea of mitigation, adding that since the convicts wasted the court’s time and resources by not pleading guilty, he would not let them walk free.
He said his sentence would serve as a warning to people whose stock-in-trade stealing from innocent people on the streets of Freetown.
He further noted that the act of the convicts was shameful because it happened to a top diplomat – the American Ambassador to Sierra Leone.
“I am convinced that the prosecution has led sufficient evidence against the accused persons before me, thus I hereby sentence them to 18 months imprisonment,” Magistrate Bangura ruled.