By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown, Sierra Leone — A nurse identified as Elizabeth Konneh was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment by Magistrate John Manson Fornah at the Pademba Road Court No.2 after pleading guilty to the theft of a mobile phone.
Konneh stood accused of Larceny, contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act of 1916. The charge stated that on Tuesday, 11 June 2025, at Aberdeen in Freetown, she stole by trick one Tecno mobile phone valued at Le 2,500 new Leones, property of Sheku Papa Sesay.
During her first court appearance on Tuesday, 15 July 2025, Konneh pleaded guilty and asked the court to exercise leniency, noting that she was not legally represented. Prosecutor Detective Superintendent Sorie Conteh confirmed that Konneh had no prior criminal record.
Recognizing her status as a first-time offender and considering her guilty plea as a time-saving move for the court, Magistrate Fornah sentenced her to 30 days in prison or payment of a Le 1,000 fine to the state. The case underscores ongoing concerns about petty theft in urban areas and the judiciary’s efforts to promote swift resolution of minor offenses.