August 27, 2021
By Audrey John
Second Police witness, Abdul Lamin Kamara has testified before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of the Pademba Road Court No. 2 in Freetown that him and his wife, Aminata Bangura (Complainant) allegedly paid fifty nine million, five hundred and fifty thousand Leones (Le59, 550,000) to Hassan Joseph Michael’s bank account number 2013119204159 at GT Bank.
The accused, Hassan Joseph Michael was a staff working at the Black Department Immigration Office in Freetown. The witness said he made the said payment to the aforementioned bank account at GT Bank in Kakua Chiefdom, Bo District in the southern Provinces of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
In continuation of his testimony PW2, told the court that he recognized the accused through the complainant, Aminata Bangura and he recall on diverse dates between 24the April 2019 and 31st December 2020, that he was at home at Togbe Town in Bo, when the complainant told him about the accused and said they all grew up at Togbe town in Bo.
He said his wife told him that the accused told him about a travel to Turkey, adding that since he considered the complainant as his sister, he want her to benefit from the programme.
Mr. Bangura said when he received the information, he and the complainant left Bo for Freetown, adding that when he arrived, they meet the accused at the Immigration Office, who led them to the Immigration canteen, where he introduced him to one Pastor Jordan as the agent of the programme.
He said he initially handed over to the accused nine hundred thousand Leones (Le900, 000.00) for the preparation of visa, and also made part payment of one hundred thousand United States dollars to the accused.
The witness added that after few days, the accused forwarded to him passport bearing the names and picture of the complainant.
He further testified that the accused instructed him to send another five hundred United States dollars to the aforementioned account number at GTB which he said he did.
The witness recounted that when the accused could not get back to him concerning their arrangement; himself and the complainant came to Immigration office in Freetown and narrated what transpired between them and the accused person to one Mr. Lansana.
But he said he told them to be patient with him, saying that the accused have another new travel programme to Australia. In October 2019, he said the accused told them that about the new travel programme he earlier promised them. He noted that the accused told them again that they should pay fifteen thousand United States dollars, noting that as matter of fact, he made another three thousands United States dollars to the accused account at GT Bank.
The witness further disclosed that the accused forwarded again a visa and asked them to come to Freetown, informing him that the complainant would be travelling on the following day to Australia. He told the court that the accused introduced them to one Mr. Ishmael at Wilkinson Road in Freetown for a COVID-19 test. But he said all the promises the accused made to them were not materialized.
The witness concluded his evidence stating that she initially made a report at Legal Aid Board Sierra Leone (LAB) and subsequently made another report to the Criminal Investigation department headquarters in Freetown.
The accused is arraigned before the court on seven counts of conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretenses and other related offences, which are all contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
According to the particulars of offence Hassan Joseph Michael, on diverse dates between the 24 April 2019 and 31 October 2021, conspired with unknown persons to defraud Aminata Bangura fifty nine million, five hundred and fifty thousand Leones (Le59,550,000) pretending that he would secure tickets to Turkey, Australia and Dubai, knowing the same to be false. The charge sheet furthered that Hassan Joseph Michael, on the 10th October 2019, obtained from the complainant ten million, two hundred and fifty thousand Leones (Le10, 250,000) with the pretext that he would facility the complainant trip to Australia knowing the same to be false.
The accused was not legally represented; he was denied bail and remanded at the Male Correctional Centre, Pademba Road in Freetown. The matter has been adjourned to 9th September, 2021 Sergeant Hannah Newstead prosecuting.