The trial
commenced yesterday of one Sakher Nasr, a Lebanese national,accused of theft and giving false
information, at the Brikama Magistrates’ Courtbefore Principal Magistrate Dayoh M. Small-Dago, with the testimonies of
two prosecution witnesses.
When the case was called, the defence counsel, MF Mbai, said he understood that the accused was granted bail by the court but the accused told him that he was still in custody of the NIA.
In response, the police prosecutor, Chief Inspector Touray, said the accused was granted bail but he did not know why he was still in custody of the NIA.
Testifying earlier,Hadim Ndure, a contractor at Kanilai, said he recognized the accused and on 15 February 2014, he was at Kanilai.
He said the President sent him to go and complete his conference room in Sindola, adding that he went with Major Seedy Baldeh and Mustapha Bojang.
Designed as the first prosecution witness, Ndure said when they visited the site, he saw some roof tiles and he asked Mustapha who put the roof tile there.
He said Mustapha told him that it was the accused that put it there, adding that he also asked Major Seedy Baldeh the same question and he also gave him the same answer.
PW1 said he later told them that he could not work without removing the tiles, saying that the tiles are still there where he met them.
Under cross-examination by defense counsel, MF Mbai, who asked him if it was true that on 15 February 2014, the roof tiles were at Sindola and the witness answered in the affirmative.
“You confirm that you were told that the accused person put the roof tiles there,” asked counsel.
“Yes,” replied PW1.
Also testifying was one Mustapha Bojang, an engineer at Kanilai, who said that on 15 February 2014, they had some officers who came together with the accused to the Sindola Hotel and asked him what he knows about the roof tiles that were packed in the big hall.
He said he told them that four years back, he saw the accused putting them there but he was not informed why they were there and the purpose.
He said he did not also ask the accused and the roof tiles are still packed inside the hall.
Under cross-examination, the defense counsel asked him if he was aware that the accused only packed it in the hall and the witness answered in the affirmative.
“Since you saw him four years back, did you ever saw him removed the tiles in the hall?” asked counsel.
“No,” PW2 said.
The case was adjourned till 12 till March 2014.
The particulars of offence on count one stated that the accused Shakher Nasr, on 15 February 2014, in Kanilai, stole 9, 130 pieces of roofing tiles being the property of Kanilai Family Farm and thereby committed an offence.
Count two stated that on the same date and place, he gave false information to Sarjo Badjie and Alieu Sowe, that the President had asked him to remove the roofing tiles, the information he knew to be false.
