By Mamajah Jalloh
Freetown, Sierra Leone
Ibrahim Kamara, a 33-year-old motorbike rider, and Abdul Bangura, a 28-year-old unemployed man, were sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment on Friday, 2nd May 2025, after being convicted for robbery with violence and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The sentencing took place before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.1.
The accused men faced three charges: conspiracy to commit a felony, robbery with violence, and assault causing actual bodily harm, under the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861.
The court heard that on Tuesday, 3rd December 2024, at Will Street in the western area of Freetown, Kamara and Bangura conspired with others unknown to rob Aminata Kallon Kamara. The victims were deprived of 120 packets of fried plantains and Le600 in cash, with the total value of the stolen items estimated at Le1,000.
The incident escalated when the accused men used personal violence on Aminata Kallon Kamara during the robbery, leading to bodily harm. The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Ibrahim S. Mansaray, presented testimony from three witnesses during the trial.
While the accused men did not plead to the charges, they both requested leniency from the court, citing their status as first-time offenders.
Magistrate Kekura, taking into account their request for mercy, sentenced them to two years and six months at the Male Correctional Facility. However, he also allowed an alternative of a Le3,000 fine, given their first-time offenses.
The case highlights the judiciary’s commitment to addressing violent crime while considering mitigating factors in sentencing.
