By Alimatu Jalloh
FREETOWN — The third prosecution witness in the ongoing theft case involving the LEOCEM Cement Factory, DPC 11213 Mohamed Kandeh of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Ross Road Police Station, on Monday, June 23, 2025, tendered a charge statement as evidence before Magistrate Augustine Brima Samura at the Pademba Road Court No. 8.
Testifying under the lead of DPC 1489 Joseph Lamin Dumbuyam, DPC Kandeh confirmed he recognized both the accused persons and the complainant. He recalled that on May 27, 2025, while on duty, the complainant brought in the accused with a report of store breaking and larceny, and the case was assigned to him for investigation.
Kandeh told the court that he and Sergeant 4606 Kandeh B.M., accompanied by a scene-of-crime officer, visited the LEOCEM facility at Bett Street, Kanikay, where they discovered the store had been broken into through the roof. Items recovered from the scene included four jerry cans of engine oil, two plastic buckets of grease, a multi-colored rope, a white sandal, and a white aluminum ladder. These were documented and handed over to the exhibit clerk.
He further testified that voluntary caution statements were obtained from each accused on the same day in Krio, which they confirmed by affixing their right-hand thumbprints after being read and explained to them. The statements were duly signed and have been submitted as part of the court’s record.
On June 1, 2025, Kandeh also obtained charge statements from the accused, using the same process as with the voluntary caution statements. These, too, were tendered in evidence and form part of the court documents.
Defense Counsel S.L. Lewis renewed a bail application on behalf of the accused. However, Magistrate Samura denied bail due to the gravity of the charges and ordered the accused to be remanded at the Male Correctional Centre in Freetown.
The trial was adjourned to June 25, 2025, for cross-examination.
The accused—Anthony Kamara, a carpenter; and two laborers, Alusine Sesay and Josephus Mansaray, both aged 25—are standing trial for conspiracy and store breaking contrary to the Larceny Act of 1916. The prosecution alleges that on May 27, 2025, the accused broke into LEOCEM Cement Factory’s lubricant store and stole over 600 litres of industrial oil valued at Le62,798.00.