A witness testified in a high-profile diamond embezzlement case before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at Court No. 2 in Freetown. The accused, Sheku Kabba and Tamba Lebbie, face charges of Conspiracy to Defraud, Fraudulent Embezzlement, and Receiving Stolen Goods related to a 264-carat diamond worth approximately $42 million.
Witness Shar Moywa, a former colleague of the accused, recounted finding the diamond on the floor while working at the site. He claimed that the second accused, Tamba Lebbie, handed the diamond over to the first accused, Sheku Kabba, and that he was promised compensation for his discovery.
Moywa testified that he reported the incident to the Ministry of Mines and was later detained at Tankoroh police station, where he made a statement. He denied knowledge of the accused giving 39 carats to the diamond’s owner, Benjamin Merer.
The case has been adjourned until August 27, 2024, as the prosecution continues to build its case against the accused. The trial has sparked widespread interest due to the high value of the diamond and the severity of the charges.
