By Feima Sesay
Alhaji Sorie Conteh a business tycoon was on Thursday 11th May 2023 sentenced to thirty years’ imprisonment by Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba Road Court No.1, after he was found guilty of fraudulently converting to his own use and benefit quantities of building materials valued at over one billion Leones entrusted to him by the complainant Rugiatu Lahai for sale.
The convict prior to his conviction was arraigned before the court on six counts charge of Fraudulent Conversion contrary to section (20) (ii) (a) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
The charge sheet indicated that the accused on diverse dates between 2020 and 2021 at Bo City fraudulently converted to his own use and benefit, quantities of building materials, soft drinks, imported crates of water, mattresses, chair rugs and other valuable items, totaling one billion, seventy seven million and eighty thousand Leones for the purpose of sale and delivery.
Before sentencing the convict, Magistrate Ngeba said the prosecution proved its case that led to the guilty verdict as the prosecution had called four witnesses to testify in court. He said the testimonies of all the witnesses corroborated, indicating that the complainant had indeed handed over the properties to the accused for sale. He added that the accused in his defense testified on oath and called only one witness.
Magistrate Ngeba informed the court that he had looked at the evidences before him and is convinced that the prosecution had proven the guilt of the accused beyond all reasonable doubt. He added that the accused is guilty of the offense he was standing trial for.
The convicted accused was unrepresented in court and so no plea mitigation was made on his behalf.
Magistrate Ngegba therefore sentenced the accused to five years’ each for all six counts, totaling thirty years’ imprisonment, adding that the sentence should run concurrently.
A.S.P Christiana Davis Cole prosecuted the matter.
