By Mohamed J Kargbo
In recent court appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of the Pademba Road Court No.1 in Freetown, twenty-one-year-old Kamanda Bangura, a laborer, faced charges of House Breaking and Larceny under section 26 (1) of the Larceny Act 1916.
The accused, who pleaded guilty, was alleged to have broken into the dwelling house of Jenneh Massaquoi at No.31c Cdusidin Lane, Calaba Town, Freetown, on February 23, 2024.
The particulars of the offence detailed that Kamanda Bangura entered the house with the intent to steal, making away with a panel door valued at two thousand five hundred Leones, a lock valued at ninety Leones, and six hundred Leones in physical cash, totaling three thousand one hundred and ninety Leones.
Jenneh Massaquoi, the complainant and a businesswoman, revealed to the court that the accused is her son.
Ms. Massaquoi explained that on the aforementioned day at around 2:00 pm, she received information from her daughter, Yatta, that the door couldn’t be opened due to an obstruction placed by the accused inside the lock but she was afraid to confront him her brother.
Ms Massaquoi said she arrive home to find the sealing board damaged, and both money and the door missing. At that point, Kamanda Bangura had already fled.
Community youth later apprehended the accused person, who had been on the run. In a surprising turn of events, Ms. Massaquoi informed the court that she would not be pursuing the matter further due to her familial relationship with the accused.
In response to this development, Magistrate Kekura proceeded to acquit and discharge Kamanda Bangura, citing section 94 of the Criminal Procedure Act No.32 of 1965.
