By Alimatu Jalloh
Sierra Leone: Four men accused of robbing two Indian nationals of gold and other valuables worth over eight hundred thousand new Leones made their first court appearance on Thursday, October 9, 2025, before Principal Magistrate Mustapha Briama Jah at the Freetown Magistrate Court No. 1.
The accused, Abubakarr Sesay, Alpha Kamara, Dauda Kelfala Sesay, and Abubakarr Kabia, were arraigned on ten counts, including conspiracy to commit a crime and robbery with aggravation, contrary to Section 23(1)(a) of the Larceny Act of 1916, as repealed and replaced by Section 1 of the Death Penalty Act 2022 (Act No. 6 of 2022).
According to the indictment, the alleged robbery occurred between May 1 and May 31, 2025, in Mabruka Town. The defendants are accused of conspiring to commit robbery and, while armed with a pistol, stealing from Mukesh Ray a total of thirty thousand Indian Rupees (Le 8,310), thirty thousand US dollars (Le 723,000), six hundred and sixty-five Euros (Le 16,758), a quantity of gold, and other valuables. The total value of the stolen items is estimated at Le 854,291.
No plea was taken during the proceedings as the charges were read and explained to the defendants. They appeared in court without legal representation, and no bail application was submitted on their behalf.
Magistrate Jah ordered that all four accused be remanded in custody. The matter was adjourned to Thursday, October 16, 2025, for further hearing.