September 16, 2021
By Audrey John
Victor Andrew Williams, has on the 15 September 2021, dragged his younger sister Willietta Parson to court over an alleged fraudulent Conversion of fifty million Leones that was entrusted to her to deposit into his bank account.
The defendant Willietta Parson was arraigned before magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba road court No 2 on one count charge of Fraudulent Conversion of property contrary to section 20(1(a) of the larceny Act 1916.
According to the indictment, it was alleged that the defendant sometimes in July 2020, in Freetown fraudulently converted to her own use the sum of fifty million Leones (50m) entrusted to her by the complainant to be paid into his bank account.
The complainant Victor Andrew Williams led in evidence by lawyer Cummings said he is a business man, and that the defendant is his younger sister. He further recalled sometimes in July 2020.
He said he gave the sum of Le50m to his sister the defendant for her to deposit the said amount into his bank account at UBA to which she agreed.
He said when the defendant was about to leave, she took the money in a bag and asked him to called someone to help her with the bag.
According to him, he called the driver Mohamed who accompany the defendant to the bank, adding that at about 30munites when they left, he received a telephone call from the driver who told him that they were unable to transact the money because of the queue at the bank.
“I then asked my driver to leave the money with her and come back to the office which he did, usually after any transaction done by the defendant on my behalf, she will come with the receipt”, he said.
“Two days after the transaction I did not hear from her, I then went to her house and she explained to me that she was unable to send the money into my account because a business partner of her who stays in china informed her about her business so she has used the amount I gave to her to send to her business partner and that later when the goods arrived, she will return my money”, he narrated.
The witness said the defendant also told him that the money will be ready in October 2020, adding that though he was angry initially, he later calm himself because she is his younger sister.
The witness said in October 2020, he went to the defendant for the money but she said her goods has not yet arrived and that I should wait till December 2020 which he said he did.
Noting further that in December, he went to her but she ask him to wait until March 2021, which he said he did again.
“In March 2021, I received a telephone call from one Lawyer Abass Bangura who told me that he is the defendant`s lawyer and that they had a part payment of Le20m, adding that upon receipt of that information, he went to the defendant where he met the lawyer and collected the 20m, but said since then he has not received the remaining Le30m.
The defendant`s lawyer was absent and therefore could not cross examine the complainant but however informed the court that she gave a check of Le15m to her lawyer for the complainant.
Magistrate Mark Ngegba however granted her bail in the sum of 30m and one surety in like sum who must produce proof of identity card and that the bail should be approved by the Deputy Acting Registrar whiles the matter was adjourned to the 30th September 2021.
Cross examination of the witness was deferred also.