By Emma Black
Businessman Champiel Coker was finally arraigned before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at Pademba Road Court No. 2 on multiple charges. Coker faced four counts, including conspiracy contrary to law, trespassing under Section 15(1)(b) of the public order Act 1965, malicious damage under Section 51 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861, and larceny contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act 1961.
According to the police charge sheet, on Friday, 17th November 2024, at Peninsula Road, Sussex, Freetown, Coker allegedly conspired with others to commit a crime, count two stated that on the same date and location, Coker maliciously entered the dwelling and compound of Yusuf Kamara despite being warned not to do so.
Count three alleged that Coker damaged an in-lock on a door at No. 11 Main Peninsula Road, Sussex, valued at six hundred Leones (Le 600), belonging to Yusuf Kamara, count four further accused Coker of stealing several items on the same date and place, including:
Two tons of iron rods valued at thirty-one thousand Leones (Le 31,000), Two hundred bags of cement valued at thirty thousand Leones (Le 30,000), twenty-five lengths of Conteg rods valued at five hundred Leones (Le 500), Two cartons of nails valued at one thousand one hundred Leones (Le 1,100), Five headpans valued at two hundred and fifty Leones (Le 250), Five shovels valued at five hundred Leones (Le 500), Two rolls of building wire valued at one thousand Leones (Le 1,000), One wheelbarrow valued at two thousand five hundred Leones (Le 2,500), two pickaxes valued at one hundred and forty Leones (Le 140)
The total value of the stolen property was sixty-six thousand nine hundred and ninety Leones (Le 66,990), all owned by Yusuf Kamara, when the charges were read, Coker pleaded not guilty, the state prosecutor, Assistant Commissioner of Police Joan Bull, requested the maximum sentence.
Defense Counsel J. Koroma Esq. pleaded for leniency, stating that Coker was a first-time offender and a family man with three children, requesting a conditional sentence, magistrate Bangura ruled that Coker was not guilty on counts one, two, and four, but guilty on count three.
The court sentenced Coker to pay a fine of one thousand Leones (Le 1,000) or serve two years in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to pay three thousand Leones (Le 3,000) in compensation to the complainant.
Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Wednesday, May 28TH, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
