After CID personnel at CID Headquarters in Freetown concluded their investigations, they referred the matter to the Law Officers Department for advice. The matter has been charged to court.
Three out of the four accused persons made their first appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Magistrate Court No2 along Pademba Road in Freetown on Wednesday, 14th August, 2024. Magistrate Santigie Bangura imposed stiff bail conditions which were not met by all the three accused persons. They were remanded in custody at the Pademba Road Male Correctional Centre in Freetown.
The exact caratage of the controversial piece of diamond from Kamara Chiefdom in the Kono district is not known. The Police say they retrieved a 20.28 carat diamond from Mr. Jihad Basma, the licensed diamond dealer/exporter who bought it from Sheku Kabba alias ID Card, Sahr Lebbie and Tamba Lebbie in Koidu Town, Kono district in May this year.
According to the Police, the piece of diamond they retrieved from Mr. Jihad Basma was duly registered in his diamond dealerโs book. This has been confirmed by NMA (National Minerals Agency).
Mr. Benjamin Meer, the Whiteman who claims to be the owner of the controversial piece of diamond is the complainant in the matter. The exact caratage of the diamond is still not known. Some people are claiming that it is 264 carats. Others say it is 40 carats. Another group is claiming that it is even bigger than the Star of Sierra Leone which weighed 770 carats. The Star of Sierra Leone was discovered in Kono district in 1945 and was sold for US$420, 000 to Londonโs Diamond Corporation.
Since the matter before the court is sub-judice, we will not make any further comment on it. It is now left with the court to decide the exact caratage of the mysterious piece of controversial diamond from the Kamara Chiefdom in Kono district.
One of the accused persons, Sahr Lebbie, who was released by the CID on bail, with Benjamin Meer as his surety, did not appear in court on Wednesday. It is not known whether a Bench Warrant for his arrest would be or was issued by Magistrate Santigie Bangura.
Allegations that Jihad Basma is operating illegally in Kono district and not paying his taxes to NRA have been dismissed by his legal team as โfrivolous and unsubstantiatedโ.
All parties must now exercise restraint as the matter is now before a legally constituted court of law. Let the law take its own course.
Nobody should exert social media or political pressure on the court. Justice must not only be done, but it must also be seen to be done.
It must be borne in mind that, the courts exist to uphold, interpret, and apply the law.
Let the rule of law prevail!
