By: Ousman Saidykhan
Two Sierra Leonean men have been arraigned before the Kanifing Magistrate Court over alleged stealing of bundles of electrical cables valued at D441,000 (four hundred and forty-one thousand dalasis) from MP Trading at Westfield, a business that deals in electrical and building materials.
Muhammed Camara and Alassan Mustapha are being tried for allegedly stealing three different sizes of electrical cables on the 30th of July 2022; 144 bundles of 1.5 electrical cables valued at D194, 400; 60 bundles of 2.5 electrical cables valued at D117, 000 and 26 bundles of 6mm electrical cable valued at D130, 000.
They both pleaded guilty to the first count, which is conspiracy to commit felony, but denied the second count of stealing the cables worth over D400,000.
The second accused, Alassan Mustapha, has been working with MP Trading for almost a year.
“He [the second accused] gave money to the first accused to come and buy from them. The second accused put the items in a carton. Unfortunately, they were caught by a co-worker,” Sub Inspector Jammeh told the court as he narrated the “facts” of the case.
The first witness, Hitehs Ramwan, who also works with the second accused, testified that the first accused, Muhammed Camara came to their shop to buy wall fans and was attended to by the second accused.
“During their deliberations, I suspected some things were odd; the way of carrying cartons from the first accused to the second accused. I intervened to inspect but they resisted. Then I insisted and went and checked.
“I found twelve roles of 1.5 electrical cables in each carton and since that day, Mustapha, the second accused fled the office,” the witness narrated.
He continued that after taking the matter to the police station, he later found out that the accused persons had stolen much more than what he saw in the three cartons.
The case was adjourned to the 7th and 15th of September 2022. Meanwhile, the bail of the accused persons was set at D500,000 or sureties.
