The conditions stated in the bail bond indicated that each accused bail should produce a surety, who should be a house owner, and must surrender their national passports and the said bail must be approved by the court Master and Registrar. 

The accused are charged with criminal offences, ranging from conspiracy to larceny, contrary to the country’s laws, and that the accused conspired with unknown individuals to steal 114 bags of cocoa product, meant for shipment to the Netherlands.

Complainant, Abass Kaglem, commenced testimony yesterday before the presiding magistrate, when he was being in evidence by police prosecutor, Inspector Isatu Bah; he stated that he recognized the first accused, Bubu Marrah as one of his company’s trailer drivers.

He explained that he vividly remembered the incident, on the 3 December 2017, and on the above stated date, he instructed his store keeper Jaward Lakish to ensure a shipment of six containers of cocoa products to Holland.

Abass Kaglem told his audience that when the containers arrived in Holland, he received an email from his business counterparts that 114 bags of the cocoa products, valued at Le 240,800,000, were missing in one of the containers.

Complainant testified that as a result of the unusual development, he instituted an internal investigation by going through the record book and to ascertain the driver of one of the containers, which was allegedly tampered with by the accused.

 At the conclusion of his investigation, he said realized that first accused, Bubu Marrah was the driver of the trailer truck with registration number; AFJ04, that loaded the cocoa and took it for scanning at the Queen Elizabeth Quay, adding that he informed the owner of the said truck, Madam Koloneh about the situation and later reported the matter to the Ross Police Station.

He also testified that first accused was invited to Ross Police Station where he confessed in the presence of the investigating police officers including him, that he stole the said quantity of cocoa products with the help of his apprentice, before he took the vehicle to Queen Elizabeth Quay for scanning and exportation. 

According to the complainant, the first accused told him after the container had been loaded for scanning, he drove  the truck to place at Kissy Dockyard, where he stole  the cocoa, before he proceeded to the Queen Elizabeth Quay for scanning.

He furthered that first accused also informed him that the second accused; Alimamy Bangura took him to place at Calaba town in the far east of Freetown, where they   sold the alleged stolen cocoa products to a businessman called Shaba who was on the run.

Concluding, Abass Kaglem said that statement was obtained from him at the Ross Police Station in respect of the matter before the court and Magistrate Dr. Binneh Kamara adjourned the matter to 22 October, 2017.

The accused were represented by lawyer E T Koroma, and lawyer Lansana Dumbuya is associating with the prosecution.