By Mohamed Foday Conteh
A pre-trial for Musa Kargbo and three others accused of robbery has concluded at the High Court in Freetown. According to evidence from the Magistrate Court on Pademba Road, the four men were said to have stolen monies and properties worth millions of Leones belonging to Sao Kpato Isatta Max-Kyne.
Musa Kargbo, Daniel Sesay, Foday Sesay and Bala Dabor appeared in court on Tuesday 24th August 2021 to answer to allegations of conspiracy to commit a felony, robbery, house breaking and larceny, all contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
The first accused was said to have broken and entered into the Regent Road residence on Hill Station of Max-Kyne and stolen the sum of 15 million Leones and nine thousand eight hundred United States Dollars ($9,800) which was said to have been an equivalent of one hundred million Leones (Le 100,000,000) at the time. Kargbo was also accused of stealing one pair set of gold bracelet valued at ten thousand United States Dollars ($10,000); an equivalent of one hundred million Leones (Le 100,000,000) at the time.
The first accused was also said to have siphoned a digital security box (safe) equivalent to five hundred thousand Leones (Le 500,000). The other three accused persons were implicated on allegations of receiving, harbouring and comforting the said stolen properties.
According to evidence at the lower court, the first accused was on the run and had to be apprehended in Guinea and was extradited after efforts by the Sierra Leone Police and Interpol.
Detective Sergeant 7681 Hassan Kargbo, who had testified at the lower court, told Justice Monfred Momoh Sesay that he knew all accused persons. He affirmed in court after being led in evidence by State Prosecutor, Joseph A. K. Sesay that the 4 men were the same that were implicated in the aforesaid charges.
On the said day, a new warrant of arrest was issued and endorsed against all accused persons. Kargbo said all was signed separately in the presence of DPC 14153 Noah Bangura.
The court also ordered that the fresh indictment which was in tandem with the said warrant of arrest was shown to the witness. Kargbo read the indictment in court which implicated all accused persons for the alleged crimes for which they were arraigned.
The judge, after the end of the due process, ruled that the trial of the accused persons be fixed for 23rd September, 2021. Justice Sesay also concluded that the matter will be tried by a judge at the High Court.
Justice Sesay further addressed the accused persons that their trial at the Magistrate Court has been commissioned to the High Court. He admonished them that the long adjournment is due to the fact that the criminal session was on break. He also reckoned the accused persons to include the service of a legal representation at the next sitting after learning that they had no lawyer at the high court.
Justice Sesay denied bail for all accused persons after the prosecution opposed to bail. The affidavit in opposition to bail hinged on the fact that some of the accused persons were apprehended in Guinea. The said affidavit posit that the matter was severe and that the accused are of flight risk.
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