According to the witness, Sheik Ahmed Kamara, he expressed interest and accompanied by Alusine Komkoba Fofanah they went to the residence of the former Deputy Works Minister at Spur Road in Freetown.
He went on to inform the court that the former Deputy Works Minister showed him two vehicles, but that he was only interested in the V8 Land Cruiser, after which they bargained for twelve thousand United States dollars, which he paid to the accused person way back in 2018.
The witness further testified that, he then requested for the vehicle’s life card, but that the former Deputy Works Minister told him to exercise patience, as the said vehicle’s life card was in the office of her boss, who was the then Minister of Works, Housing and Infrastructure, Alhaji Kemoh Sesay.
He also informed the court that after some time, he demanded for the vehicle’s life card from the former Deputy Works Minister, but she again told him not to worry, as the said stolen V8 Land Cruiser was presented to her as a gift by the former President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.
The witness, Shiek Ahmed Kamara also testified that he later sold the said vehicle to his business partner in Guinea called Mustapha Sillah in the sum of thirty two thousand United States dollars.
According to him, sometime in June 2019, he was driving along Wilberforce, when a certain man called Stalone together with some armed men intercepted his vehicle and accused him of stealing a government vehicle.
“I was then invited to the Lumley Police Division, but the matter was later transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department headquarter at Pademba Road,” the witnessed stated.
He continued to say that he, the former Deputy Works Minister, Kadijatu Sesay, Alusine Komkoba Fofanah who introduced the former Works Minister to him were taken to the office of the Commissioner of the Anti Corruption Commission, Francis Ben Kaifala.
He informed the court that while they were in the office of the Anti Corruption Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala, the witness said the former Deputy Works Minister told the Commissioner that she did not recognize him.
He concluded that he told the Anti Corruption Commissioner that he recognized the former Deputy Works Minister, and that she sold the said stolen V8 Land Cruiser vehicle to him for twelve thousand United States dollars.
It could be recalled that the former Deputy Minister of Works, Housing and Infrastructure, Kadijatu Sesay was briefly detained at the Law Court Building, outside police cell on Siaka Stevens in Freetown for jumping bail.
The accused person was granted bail by Santigie Bangura presiding over Freetown Magistrate Court No.1 in the sum of seven hundred million Leones and two sureties in like sum.
According to the bail bond, the sureties must be responsible citizens residing within the Freetown Judicial District of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and must also be holders of passport and other national identity cards.
Sureties, the court added, must surrender their passports and national identity cards to the Deputy Assistant Master and Registrar for approval before granting the bail bond.
The accused Kadijatu Sesay was charged with the offences of Conspiracy to Defraud and Larceny by Servant, which negates section (17) sub section (1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
Court record further revealed that being Deputy Minister of Works, Housing and Infrastructure during the former All People’s Congress government, she allegedly stole one Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep with registration number: AKN 889 valued at seventy five thousand, two hundred and sixty United States dollars, equivalent to five hundred and seventy two million, nine hundred and fifteen thousand Leones; property of the Government of Sierra Leone.
When the matter was initially adjourned she appeared and was granted bail. However, she failed to make an appearance on the following adjournment which led to the court ordering a Bench Warrant for her arrest or that of her sureties.
However, on her appearance in court yesterday accompanied by her lawyer Lansana Dumbuya, although it was not the day for her matter to be heard, her lawyer pleaded with the court saying it was due to her son’s illness was the reason she failed to appear before the court previously. He produced documentary evidence that were approved by the court and Magistrate Bangura then ordered the rescinding of the Bench Warrant.
The matter comes up again tomorrow Thursday 12 July 2018.
