By Mohamed Conteh
Justice John Bosco Allieu at High Court No. 1 in Freetown on Wednesday 25th August 2021 refused bail to one Saidu Kanu alias Die arraigned before him for robbery and conspiracy.
According to the particulars of the offence, Kanu was said to have conspired with other unknown persons on the 15th August 2020 in Freetown, to commit a felony. The evidence also alleged that the accused on the same date robbed one Yusif Mansaray of four Tecno mobile phones valued at six million Leones (6,000,000) and one ZTE mobile phone valued at one hundred and seventy-five thousand Leones (175,000). Kanu had denied all the allegations levied against him.
In the same trial, State Prosecutor Alberta Kargbo led in evidence one Lahai Samura as a witness to testify against Kanu. Samura, as witness said that he knew the accused as a resident of Up Mountain Community, Wellington. He said on the 15th August 2020 he was at his business place at Up Mountain when his wife called him at around 2 in the morning informing him that thieves had stolen everything at their telecentre. He said that day he spoke to Yusif, the alleged victim who happened to be his brother, who told him that the thieves were four in number. He added that Yusif told him that he recognised two out of the four men that robbed his business center. He affirmed that when he later went to the said crime scene, his brother was able to identify one Weezy and the accused as two of the four that attacked and robbed the said telecentre.
Samura told the court that he later went with his brother to make a statement to the Police. He said the Police assigned four officers to lead the investigations Policemen who then visited the alleged crime scene where they took photographs.
The witness said that the accused and Weezy were at large after the incident and that it was only later that a neighbour informed him through a telephone conversation that the accused and Weezy were at the local quarry. He stated that he and a team of officers went to the said quarry where they met the accused and Weezy. He added that they were only able to apprehend the accused as Weezy fled to the bush.
The state also led in one Easmond George who identified himself as Police Constable 17702. He said that he was on duty on the said date when the complainant reported a case of robbery. He also affirmed that one Detective Police Constable Koroma issued a medical request form to the complainant and he and Koroma visited the said crime scene where they took photographs and later arrested the accused, and a statement was obtained.
According to George, the accused had told them that he was a labourer at the said quarry and that he was innocent of the allegations levied against him. He had said that he was surprised at his arrest and that he knew nothing of the said crime.
During cross-examination, George confirmed that the accused had told them at the station that he was with his wife at the time of the alleged incident. He affirmed that the accused was arrested at a scene he had told them was his work station. He added that the wife of the accused, one Kadiatu had corroborated the evidence provided by the accused at the station.
Justice Allieu adjourned the matter to September 1st, 2021 with the accused remanded at Pademba Road Correctional Centre.
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