By Mamajah Jalloh
Freetown, Sierra Leone – A prosecution witness, Albert Moikpwendor, testified before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at the Pademba Road Court No. 2 on Monday, September 9, 2024, in a case involving the alleged theft of a 264-carat diamond valued at over $42 million. The defendants, Sheku Kabba, Tamba Lebbie, and Jehad Basma, stand accused of embezzling the gemstone, which belongs to businessman Benjamin Merer.
In his testimony, Moikpwendor, a miner with over a decade of experience, said that he knew the complainant, Merer, who held the mining rights to the land where the diamond was discovered. He identified the first accused, Kabba, as Merer’s manager, and the second accused, Lebbie, as the land manager at the mining site.
Moikpwendor recounted receiving information in late May 2024 regarding the diamond and the involvement of the accused. On May 28, he visited the police station in Motema, Kono, only to learn that the accused had been transferred to Freetown. Upon his arrival in Freetown, he met Kabba and Lebbie at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where they were later released on bail.
The witness further testified that Kabba had asked for his help in “fighting” the case, stating that they had a conversation at Kabba’s residence at Government Wharf. During the meeting, Kabba allegedly asked Moikpwendor’s brother, the Deputy Minister of Sport, to publicly declare that the land where the diamond was found belonged to Kabba’s family, not Merer.
Moikpwendor said Kabba admitted that he knew the whereabouts of the diamond but claimed it was in the possession of the third accused, Basma. The diamond, according to Kabba, was being retrieved from Kono by Basma’s brother.
The following day, Moikpwendor, along with his brother and sister, went to CID to provide their statements. However, upon seeing Moikpwendor’s sister speaking with the complainant and another individual, Kabba allegedly backed out of the arrangement, claiming they had sided with the complainant.
The defense counsel, Jessie Jengo, cross-examined the witness on behalf of the accused. The court has remanded Kabba, Lebbie, and Basma in custody, and the case is adjourned to Monday, September 16, 2024, for further hearings.
The three accused are facing charges of conspiracy, embezzlement, and receiving stolen property under the Larceny Act of 1916. The prosecution alleges that between May 20 and 26, 2024, the accused conspired to embezzle the 264-carat diamond, which is estimated to be worth $42.24 million (over Le1 billion).
Basma is further accused of knowingly receiving the stolen diamond.
