By: Ibrahim J. Conteh
Six Accused Persons were arraigned before Magistrate Mark Ngegba in an ongoing trial at the Pademba Road Magistrate court No.2 on allegations of electricity theft at Makeni township northern Sierra Leone.
It was alleged that the six accused persons on diverse dates conspired with others unknown to dishonestly abstract electricity supply contrary to section 68 of the national electricity act no. 6 of 2011.
The six accused persons who are ordinary residence of Makeni Township are Mabinty Kamara, Aminata Gibril, Suleiman Alhaji Barrie, Thomas Hillary, Mohamed Marrah and Hassan Kamara.
It could be recall that “The Electricity Offenders’ Court was set up by the Hon. Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards to address growing cases of persons committing electricity offences such as cutting cables and vandalization of electricity equipment among others
Testifying in court, Police witness, Inspector Mohamed B. Barrie of Babadorie Lumley attached at the CID Headquarters explained that on 30 June 2021 whilst on duty at CID Headquarters received two enquiry files from the Minna Police Station at Makeni.
He added that the six accused persons together with their voluntary statements and three meters were brought as specimen. Stating that after perusing the various statement, “Detective Sergeant 844 Kallon and I obtained charged statements from all six accused persons”, adding that he signed as recorder for the first, second, third, and fourth accused persons whilst Detective Sergeant signed in as recorded for the fifth and sixth accused persons.
Upon Cross-examination, Counsel representing the first accused put on a strong argument as to whether prosecuting witness was able to established the fact that an act of conspiracy was established in his investigation regarding the first accused, which he responded in the affirmative.
Upon further cross examination by Counsel representing the second, third and fourth accused persons A.S Dumbuya asked as to whether the prosecuting witness who is the principal investigator did travel to Makeni to conduct a private investigation as to obtained statement independent witnesses, the admits to the fact that he didn’t travel to Makeni to conduct any independent investigations. In his respond, the counsel representing the accused stated, “I put it to you that you have failed to convince this court that your investigation in the matter at hand is unbiased”
Counsel representing the fifth and sixth Accused persons mentioned that his Clients are law abiding citizens who have been paying their EDSA Subscriptions as required by law and that decision to levied such charges without conducting and independent interview was biased and one-sided.
Bail applications were granted to the first and second accused persons and the rest were denied bail and the matter was adjourned to Monday, 20th July, 2021.