By Jeneba A Conteh
Foday Michael Stephen Adikalia Sesay on Monday, 2nd May, 2023, made his first appearance before the Principal Magistrate of the Freetown Magistrate Court No 1, Mark Ngeba, as he was alleged of embezzling over one million new Leones from the bank.
The accused was standing trial on one count charge of embezzlement contrary to section 17 (1)(b) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
The charge sheet indicated that the accused between 1 July and 31 August 2022 at the Apex Bank, Kenema branch, fraudulently embezzled the sum of one million, one hundred and ninety thousand, nine hundred and twenty -six Leones, twenty five cents (NLe 1,190,926.25), property of Apex Bank Sierra Leone Limited.
After the charges were read and explained to the accused,no plea was taken.
The prosecutor, ASP Ibrahim Mansaray, sought for a short date on the grounds that, the witnesses were not in court.
Defense Counsel P. D. Kamara made an application for bail on behalf of the accused, indicating that he is a sierra Leonean resident in Freetown.
He added that the accused will neither jump bail nor interfere with the prosecution witnesses.
He made his application pursuant to Section 79(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act No.32 of 1965.
Magistrate Mark Ngeba refused bail and adjourned the matter to 9th May, 2023 for hearing.
