Twelve-Year Sentence for Theft of Medical Equipment in Kono

Twelve-Year Sentence for Theft of Medical Equipment in Kono

Kalokoh has been sentenced to twelve years in prison following his conviction for the theft of assorted medical equipment and supplies valued at over NLe 48,600. The judgment was delivered after Kalokoh was found guilty of office breaking and larceny, a violation of Sierra Leonean law.

The court established that on April 13, 2025, in the Kono District, Eastern Province, Mr. Kalokoh unlawfully entered the Bumpeh Community Government Health Centre. The stolen items, which belonged to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and the Government of Sierra Leone, included:

• 100 packets of Dio Mix medicines (Le 900)

• 20 packets of assorted biscuits (Le 600)

• 4 crates of assorted drinks (Le 650)

• 10 sugar testing machines (Le 2,400)

• 5 blood pressure testing machines (Le 1,200)

• 1 solar light (Le 60,000)

• 1 power bank (Le 500)

• 2 mobile phones (Le 800)

• 1 pair of scissors (Le 40)

The total value of the stolen property was calculated at Le 48,685. The items were in the custody of Sheku Grandi at the time of the theft.

Following the prosecution’s presentation of evidence, Justice Santigie Ibrahim Sorie Bangura found Mr. Kalokoh guilty. State prosecutor C. R. Sesay requested a sentence consistent with the law, noting the absence of any prior criminal conviction evidence.

During the mitigation phase, Mr. Kalokoh declined to address the court regarding the charges. His defense counsel, A. O. Kamara, pleaded for leniency, emphasizing that Mr. Kalokoh was a first-time offender, the sole provider for his wife and two children, and had expressed remorse with a promise not to reoffend.

In delivering the ruling, Justice Bangura characterized the theft from a public health facility as a "reprehensible act" that actively undermines government efforts to ensure accessible and quality healthcare for all citizens. He stressed that failure to punish such conduct could severely deprive the community, including the convict's own family, of essential medical resources.

The judge also cited evidence suggesting Mr. Kalokoh's reputation as a "notorious criminal," referencing a police statement from his late father who had admitted knowing his son was a thief upon receiving stolen goods from him. Justice Bangura concluded that unchecked behavior would likely lead to reoffending and, consequently, imposed the sentence of twelve years imprisonment.