By Feima Sesay Amadu Sesay a business man was on Wednesday 9th August 2023, drag to court before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba road court No1 over an alleged traveling scam to Italy. The accused arraigned on four counts charges ranging from Conspiracy to defraud contrary to law, obtaining money by false pretences contrary to section 32(1) of the larceny Act 1916. According to the charge the accused on a date unknown between 1st April to 30th April 2023, at No 20 Hill Cut road G-Gate Freetown with intent to defraud obtained the sum of NLE 10,600 from Saio Kamara by falsely pretending that he will facilitate her traveling from Sierra Leone to Italy knowing same to be false. The police further alleged that the accused on the said date with intent to defraud obtained the sum of NLE 10,600 from Saio Kamara by falsely pretending that he will facilitate the traveling of her brother Abu bakarr Kamara and nephew Dauda Sama Kargbo from Sierra Leone to Italy knowing same to be false.  Count four added that the accused on the same date and place with intent to defraud obtained from Saio Kamara the sum of NLE 4, 500 by falsely pretending that he will facilitate the traveling of her sister Hawanatu Bah from Sierra Leone to Italy knowing same to be false. When the charges were read and explain to him, he pleaded not guilty. The police prosecutor PC 17649 Kargbo B informed the court that his witness is present and ready to proceed with the matter. Lawyer Gabba applied for bail on behalf of the accused pursuant to section 79 sub sections 3 of the criminal procedure Act 1965. He said that the accused will not in any way jump bail or interfere with the prosecution witnesses, adding he has just lost his child and that the child has not been buried because due to his detention. The prosecutor in reply opposed to bail on the grounds that the accused has three other files for the same offense. Magistrate Ngegba however granted the accused bail in the sum of two hundred thousand new Leones and two sureties in like sum that must be gainfully employed with proof of employment. The matter was adjourned to 16 August 2023 for further hearing.

By Alusine Fullah Justice Alhaji Momoh-Jah Stevens has sentenced a 19-year old man; Abu Bakarr Bundu has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. He was found guilty of sexually penetrating a 12-year-old pupil. He appeared before the court on a two counts indictment of sexual penetration contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2012, Act No. 12 of 2012, as repealed and replaced by Section 4 (a) (ii) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2019, Act No. 8 of 2019. The State Prosecutor, Paius Sesay had alleged that the accused has on the 29th January, 2022 in Freetown, sexually penetrated a child. The state earlier made an application upon the accused arraignment for the accused to be tried by a judge alone instead of a judge and a jury. Justice Momoh Jah Stevens granted the said application. The convict denied the allegation upon his arraignment and the state prosecutor led in evidence and a number of witnesses including the victim in support of their case. In his judgment, Justice Momoh Jah Stevens said that the accused tried to make an allegation against the detective police when he read his confessional statement in court that, the officer forced him to confess to the crime. Justice Momoh Jah Stevens cautioned the accused on his choice of words that he was not forced to do anything; rather he made a confessional statement to the officer. Justice Stevens sentenced the accused person to 15 years imprisonment.