September 28, 2021
By: Audrey John
Mustapha Jalloh, Gibrilla Kamara and Tom Karrow made another appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba road court No.1 on two count charges to wit Conspiracy contrary to law and Causing money to be paid by false pretenses contrary to section 32 (1) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of offence on Saturday the 3rd July 2021 at Hastings junction the western area in Freetown with intent to defraud conspired together with other persons unknown to defraud Paul Mando the sum of seventy Million Leones (70,000,000) and on count two the accused persons fraudulently caused Paul Mando to pay the sum of seventy Million Leones to two unknown men who purported that they were the owner the green Benz 817 Truck for sale knowing same to be false.
First Prosecution Witness, a business man Paul Mando said he recognized all the accused persons in respect of this matter and he recalled on the 3rd July 2021 the witness said he told his brother that he wants a vehicle after a week the 1st accused person sent him a vehicle. The witness brother asked him the cost of the vehicle, he said it cost fifteen thousand (15,000 USD) united State dollars which is equivalent to one hundred and fifty million Leones and his brother gave him information that vehicle is owned by one Gibo and received a picture of the vehicle.
The 1st and 2nd accused persons told him that he should give fourteen thousand United States dollars for the vehicle and the 1st accused person met him in Bo town and his brother Thomas told him that the 2nd accused person sent the 1st accused person to accompany him to Freetown where the vehicle is located.
The witness said himself, the 1st accused Thomas and Gibrilla Vandy boarded a vehicle for Freetown whilst in the vehicle the 1st accused person told him that the 2nd accused is in Kenema he can’t come because he had to drive his boss the head of ONS in Pujehun. They arrived in Freetown, the 1st accused person told him that the 2nd accused person said he will send people to come and meet them. The 1st accused person took to a car center at Hastings and the second accused person communicate with the 1st accused person that I should give part payments of seventy Million Leones for the Benz Truck to Ahmed Kallon. Upon the instruction given to the 1st accused person he gave the seventy Million Leones to Ahmed Kallon in the presence of the 1st accused person and the said Ahmed Kallon give him temporal receipt of the seventy Million Leones and the said receipt was in his custody it was produced and tendered in Court as exhibit A.
The witness said the first accused person gave him the document of the vehicle and it has been in his custody and it was tender in Court as exhibit B1-3 with the pictures of the said vehicle the witness said going through the document given to him for the said vehicle he finds out that the number given to him for the vehicle did not correspond with the one given to him and he gave the document to the 1st accused person to returned it because it did not correspond.
Witness said he looked around for the said Ahmed Kallon he gave his money he has disappeared from the scene and the man who came with the vehicle snatched the key from the hand of Mando and they started beating them up telling them that they have come to steal.
During the process they carted away with his six cheque books, business registration document, Covid-19 vaccination card and the sum of twenty million Leones including his bag.
The witness said he forced his way to talk to one OSD officer to lead him to the nearest police station.
He therefore went to Hastings police station and they referred them to Ross Road police station where he made his report. He was issued police medical form and he returned it at Ross Road police station.
They later transferred them to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters at Pademba Road were a statement was obtained from him and his witness.
The witness was cross examined by Slyvanus A.S Kanyanko and he renewed his bail application on behalf of his client, bail was refused.
The accused person was sent to the male correctional center in Freetown, Inspector I.G Fofanah is prosecuting the matter, and has been adjourned to the 27th September 2021.