By Tamba Steven Komba
The Magistrate Court in Masiaka has sentenced a man to twelve months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to stealing two mobile phones belonging to a resident of Koya Chiefdom.
The conviction and sentence were handed down by Magistrate Harold Kamara on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at the Magistrate Court Holden at Masiaka Town.
The accused, Yusuf Bangura of Mile 38, Koya Chiefdom, was arraigned on a charge of Simple Larceny contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the particulars of offence presented before the court, Bangura was accused of stealing one Samsung A07 Android mobile phone valued at Le5,000 and one Siccoo manual phone valued at Le400, bringing the total value of the stolen property to Le5,400. The phones were said to belong to Lamin Tarawallie.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant 7716 Sesay A.M., representing the Inspector-General of Police, informed the court that the offence occurred on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at the Mile 38 Check Point in Koya Chiefdom, Northern Province.
Court records indicate that when the charge was read and explained to the accused in a language he understood, Bangura immediately admitted guilt.
In his ruling, Magistrate Kamara stated that the court was satisfied that the plea was made voluntarily and without ambiguity.
“Upon the charge being read and explained to him in a language he understood, the defendant pleaded guilty. The court satisfied itself that the plea was unequivocal and accordingly convicted him on his own plea of being guilty,” the magistrate said.
Following the conviction, the prosecution tendered the accused’s voluntary cautioned statement, marked as Exhibits A1-A7, in which Bangura reportedly admitted committing the offence and accepted the allegations against him.
The prosecution also produced the charge statement, marked Exhibits B1-B3, while the two recovered mobile phones were tendered as Exhibits C and D.
Before sentencing, Bangura pleaded with the court for leniency.
The court acknowledged several mitigating factors in his favour, including his early guilty plea and his lack of previous criminal convictions.
Magistrate Kamara noted that the accused had saved judicial time by admitting responsibility for his actions at the earliest opportunity. The court further observed that Bangura was a first-time offender and that no previous convictions had been brought to its attention.
However, the magistrate stressed that theft-related offences continue to pose a serious challenge to communities and must be discouraged.
“The court cannot overlook the prevalence of theft-related offences in our community,” Magistrate Kamara declared.
He added: “Acts of dishonesty and unlawful appropriation of another person’s property undermine trust and threaten peaceful coexistence in society.”
The magistrate also addressed the accused’s claim that he was homeless and living on the streets, stating that difficult personal circumstances could not excuse criminal behaviour.
“While the court is sympathetic to the difficult circumstances narrated by the defendant, particularly his claim that he lives on the streets and has no place of abode, poverty and hardship can never be accepted as a justification for criminal conduct,” he ruled.
After weighing both the mitigating and aggravating factors, Magistrate Kamara sentenced Bangura to twelve months imprisonment at the Port Loko Correctional Facility.
Delivering the final order of the court, the magistrate stated:
“Accordingly, the defendant, Yusuf Bangura, having been convicted on his own plea of guilt for the offence of Simple Larceny contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act 1916, is sentenced to twelve months imprisonment at the Port Loko Correctional Facility. This court so orders.”
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 15th June 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
