Mason sentenced to five years for converting commercial motorcycle

A 34-year-old mason, Alimammy Kamara, has been handed a five-year prison term after admitting to converting a motorcycle that had been entrusted to him for commercial purposes. Magistrate Mustapha Brima Jah of Pademba Road Court No. 1 convicted Kamara of one count of fraudulent conversion under Section 20(1)(iv)(a) of the Larceny Act of 1916 and sentenced him to the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown.
Court records indicate the incident took place on Sunday, 17 August 2025, on Kowa Drive, Motormeh in Regent Village, Mountain Rural District, Western Area. The vehicle at the centre of the case was a blue Star TVS motorcycle, bearing registration number AYE 463, and valued in court at Le36,000. The owner, Ibrahim Gbandia, reportedly gave the motorcycle to Kamara so that it could be used for commercial purposes.
Prosecuting the case, DPC 17649 Brima Kargbo informed the court that the facts were as charged and that Kamara had no prior criminal convictions. Kamara pleaded guilty after the charge was read and explained to him in open court. In mitigation, he asked the court to balance justice with mercy and apologised for his actions.
Magistrate Jah acknowledged the defendant’s admission of responsibility, expression of regret, and the fact that he had not unduly delayed the proceedings. Despite these mitigating factors, the magistrate determined that the gravity of the offence warranted a custodial sentence. Taking the nature of the conversion into account, Jah imposed a five-year sentence.
The case emphasises the court’s position that converting entrusted property for personal use is a serious offence, and that, while remorse and a clean record are important, they may not be enough to avoid imprisonment when the gravity of the act warrants it.