Five-Year Prison Term for Theft at Freetown Judiciary Building

Five-Year Prison Term for Theft at Freetown Judiciary Building

A high-stakes breach of security at the Sierra Leone Judiciary building has culminated in a stern judicial response, as unemployed youth Mohamed Sesay was sentenced to five years behind bars for stealing high-value government property.

Magistrate Mustapha Brima Jah delivered the decisive ruling at Pademba Road Court No. 1 following Sesay’s guilty plea to a single charge of larceny under Section 2 of the Larceny Act 1916. Court records reveal that between August 15 and 16, 2026, Sesay targeted the main law court building along Siaka Stevens Street, making off with two 18,000 BTU outdoor air conditioning units—an Icona model and a Sharp model—with a combined valuation of Le 38,000.

The prosecution, spearheaded by Deputy Superintendent of Police Eric A. Deen, pushed for maximum sentencing after revealing that Sesay had only recently completed a one-month jail sentence for a prior conviction. Pointing to the repeat offense and the audacity of targeting a supreme legal institution, Superintendent Deen argued that a lenient penalty would fail to serve as an adequate deterrent.

Standing without legal counsel, Sesay offered a passionate plea for mercy, asking the court for leniency. However, weighing the defendant’s criminal history against the gravity of stealing public assets from the judiciary itself, Magistrate Jah ordered Sesay to immediately begin serving his five-year sentence at the Male Correctional Centre in Freetown.

The high-profile theft has sent shockwaves through the local community, igniting widespread debate regarding institutional security vulnerabilities and raising urgent calls to reinforce protections around vital government infrastructure.