By Audrey John
Slyvanus Albert George made another appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba road court No.1 in Freetown on one count charge of obtaining money by false pretenses Contrary to Section 32(1) of the larceny Act of 1916.
It was alleged that the accused Slyvanus Albert George on a date between 1st January 2020 and 31st December 2020 at No.35 Lumley street Freetown with intent to defraud obtained the sum of eighty nine million Leones from Shukuba Kandeh by falsely pretending that he has four hundred and sixty pieces of Timber for sale knowing same to be false.
First Prosecution witness (PW1) Shekuba Kondeh said he recalled testifying in court that the accused told him that he is with two hundred Timber logs in the Kabala forest.
He said the accused told him that those Timber logs are very cheap and I told him to negotiate with the people whom he said he was with.
He testified that the accused made him to speak with someone who purports to own the said Timber logs, I told the man over the phone to negotiate with the accused that whatever they agreed on, the accused will come and collect the money from him in Freetown.
He continues that the accused called and informed him that they have agreed on forty million Leones for two hundred and fifty Timber logs, and I told the accused to meet me in Masiaka because I was travelling to Bo.
“The accused met him at the said location and I gave him the sum of thirty eight million Leones in the presence one Mohamed and Bintu but the accused did not give me receipt he made a call to the person who pretended that he own the said business and he gave me orange money number 078 784 376 of the said person who he said own the business, For me to send the remaining balance four million Leones”, he narrated.
The witness said after three days he sent the balance amount to the above orange money number.
“He continues that when he returned to Freetown he called the accused and he told me to meet him in jui, I went to Jui I meet him with another man whom I have never meet I told the accused that I want to go for my Timber logs and he told me that I cannot go for the Timber logs because the road is water logged so vehicle cannot access the road”, he explained.
He told the court that when he insisted he need the Timber logs because his business is crumbling, the accused told him that he will provide some money for me.
“After two days the accused met me in my shop at Lumley Street and came with the sum of one thousand united State dollars and ten million Leones respectively”, he said
He said the accused told him that after a month the road will be motorable and he will go for my Timber, after a month i made several calls to the accused but he could not respond.
After several months, I bumped into the accused at Aberdeen beach I called the police who arrested the accused and we went to the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters.
He stated that he gave the accused in total the sum of one hundred and nine million Leones and the accused has not given me the Timber nor did he refund my money but he made statement to the police at CID he testified
However, Magistrate Keikura adjourned the matter to the 12th April 2022 for further hearing
Inspector Kadie M Taylor is Prosecuting the matter.
