By Francis H. Murray
30-year old Osman Kargbo, an office assistant at a business organization called KAN appeared before Magistrate Hannah Bonnie on Monday for preliminary investigations into a one count charge against him for larceny in dwelling house.
The prosecution alleges that the accused between November 2019 and January 2020, at No. 29A Charles Street in the Western Area of Freetown, entered the dwelling house of Desmond Macfoy and stole seven (7) Server hard drives valued at four thousand two hundred United States Dollars (4,200USD) equivalent to forty two million Leones.
Exhibits officer, 1516 Abu Conteh attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) recalled that he was on duty on the 28th of January2020 when Detective Police Constable 12038 Sesay M. S of the anti-fraud Unit of the CID handed over to him a number of items including a 43 inches Plasma TV, one Jiepak set with five speakers, a standing fan, 4 server memories among others which he said he took possession of and registered them in the court’s register of exhibits.
In his testimony, prosecution witness Beresford Hughes, Project Manager for Pitel Com. recognized the accused person and recalled receiving a call from the complainant Desmond Macfoy in January after which he went to the office where he was informed by Macfoy that theft was taking place for which he blamed the accused.
Hughes said he immediately put the allegation to the accused and he denied any wrongdoing and was then taken to the Adelaide Street police station before being referred to the Criminal Investigations Department.
The witness said he personally spoke to the accused to produce the missing office items including cash to the tune of $5000 and some money in local currency if he had them.
Under cross-examination by the accused who was not represented by a lawyer, the witness confirmed that added to the items which were taken away from his house, were two motorbikes which were not tendered as exhibits.
Magistrate Hannah Bonnie ordered that the officer who handed over the items as exhibits be present when the case comes up today.
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