Led in evidence by Police Prosecutor Inspector Marie Sesay, the first Prosecution Witness (PW-1), Alimamy Sahr Morie Turay testified that he is the Security Adviser to the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund and recognized all accused persons in the dock.
He disclosed that the first and second accused persons were casual staff at the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund warehouse at Ferry Junction, and also recalled the incident of Monday 24th October 2016 and 14th November 2016.
The witness told the court that his institution received thirty thousand cartoons supply of nutrition food for malnourished children and were discharged at the UNICEF warehouse for safe custody.
He said on 18th November 2016, he received a telephone call from the logistics officer Saffa Harding informing him that six hundred cartoons of nutrition food supply have been stolen.
According to him, he arrived at UNICEF warehouse and enquired from the logistic officer and one Momoh Kondoh about the mysterious disappearance of six hundred cartoons of nutrition food supply, but none of them could explained how the items were got missing from the warehouse.
The witness further intimated the court that he was later informed by Momoh Kondoh that he had informed his relative to search for samples of the stolen item food items in various markets at Kissy, and that few days later they received information about the sale of some of the stolen items by some traders.
He explained that a team of police personnel attached to the PWD police post together with him executed a warrant at Laden Hall street at Kissy and discovered half quantity of the said stolen food items, stating further that they also executed another search warrant at No.9 Conteh Drive at Calaba Town.
At Calaba Town, the witness continued, they encountered stiff resistance from the landlord, but were reinforced by police officers attached to the Calaba Town Police Division.
“At the end of the search, we discovered five wooden panel, three solar panel batteries and empty cartoons of lumpy nut, and were indentified to him as property of the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund”, witness told the court.
At the stage of proceedings, Police Prosecutor Marie Sesay requested for adjournment so as to enable her establish the necessary contacts with the Exhibit Clerk for the tendering in evidence of some of the stolen food items discovered at by police officers.
The accused persons had no legal representation and Magistrate Santigie Bangura adjourned the matter to Wednesday 7th February 2018 whiles remanding the accused persons.
