Sea Coach CCTV Footage Incriminates 2 Workers

By Fatima Sesay

Micah Tanimu, General Manager of Sea Coach Express, on Tuesday 1st April 2025, testified before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No1 against two of his sailors; Samuel Benjamin Moriba and Alfred Karim Koroma. The two Sailors; Samuel Benjamin Moriba and Alfred Karim Koroma, were arraigned for allegedly stealing different items valued over one hundred thousand new Leones, from one of their customers at the coach. The charge sheet indicated that both accused on Sunday 9th February 2025 at Sir Samuel Lewis Road, Aberdeen at the Sea Coach Express, conspired together to commit a felony, to wit: Larceny The charge sheet furthered that both accused persons on the same day and place, stole one black colour suit case, one grey colour Dell Computer laptop, black colour A23 Samsung mobile phone and other assorted items valued at one hundred and twenty-four thousand, eight hundred new Leones (NLe124,800), property of Doctor Sheriff Emil, whilst in custody of the management of Sea coach Express. Micah Tanimu, in his testimony, said he is the General manager at Sea Coach and at the same time, also a technician. He recognized both accused persons as staff and sailors of the Express. Tanimu recalled on the 9th February 2025, adding that on the said day, he received a call from the coordinator at Mercy Ship about his missing luggages, adding that based on that information, he told the coordinator to exercise patience, as he will enquire what happened. Manager Tanimu said the coordinator gave him the date his luggages were missing, and so he went into his office and watched the CCTV camera to know what transpired. He maintained that while watching the video footage, he saw the first accused, Moriba, holding the coordinator’s luggages and moving it from the terminal to the car park. He said that when Moriba got to the car park with the luggages, he was seen taking three bags from among the luggages, putting them aside. The witness said that at this point, he called Moriba to ask him about the missing luggages of the Coordinator. Moriba is said to have denied having them, upon which the CCTV footage was played for him, after which he admitted and disclosed that the second accused, Koroma, was the one who kept the bags. He said the second accused was also called to the office, after which the police officers from the Aberdeen police station were called in and the accused handed over to them. The witness said the CCTV footage was reduced into a memory stick. It was tendered to form part of the court records. The CCTV footage was played in court, where the witness identified the first accused, Moriba, holding the luggages of the Coordinator and took it from the terminal to the car park. He said he later made statement to the police. The witness was cross-examined by Defense Counsel S. Smart, who also made an application for bail on behalf of both accused persons. Magistrate Kekura refused bail based on the seriousness of the offences, adding that both accused persons were sailors of the Express and so they will interfere with the witnesses. They were sent to the male correctional facility in Freetown. The matter was adjourned to the 11th April 2025 for continuation.