By: Audrey John
29yrs old Patrick Abubakar Moore a Banker at the UBA made his first appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba road court No.1 in Freetown on six count charges ranging from Larceny by servant contrary to section 17 (1) (a) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of offence on diverse dates between 23rd March 2018 and 21st March 2022 at the united Bank of Africa (UBA) the western area in Freetown being a servant employed as Acting head of domestic operations by the United Bank of Africa main branch at No.9 Charlotte Street in Freetown Stole the sum of two hundred and sixty two million, forty two thousand, one hundred and sixty seven Leones, twelve cents(262,042,162.12) which you posted into savings account No.540620520003171 and later using the bank mobile app platform transfer same to your wallet, property of the said bank.
On count two on a date between 1st June 2020 and 21st March 2022 at the said bank stole the sum of four hundred and fifty seven million, three and twenty eight thousand, one hundred and ninety four Leones fifteen cents(457,328,194.15) which he posted into the said account on count three on the 26th January 2022 and 24th March 2022 at the said office stole the sum of one hundred and twenty two million and fifty five thousand, nine hundred and fifty one Leones, Forty seven cents(122,055,951.47) posted into the said account on count four on a date between 1st June 2020 and 21st March 2022 stole the sum of twenty million one hundred and forty nine thousand and twenty seven Leones, Fort two cents(20,149,277.42) posted into the said account on count five on diverse date between 28th January 2022 and 24th March 2022 stole the sum of twenty nine million three hundred and sixteen thousand, six hundred and fifty two Leones(29,316,652.00) posted into the said account on count six on diverse dates between 18th June 2021 and 23rd March 2022 stole the sum of two hundred and thirty four million, one hundred and seventy seven thousand, one hundred and sixteen Leones and three cents(234,177,166.03) posted into the said account.
First Prosecution witness (PW1) Okuben Adeebowale a Banker at United Bank of Africa he said he is the head of Internal audit.
He recognized the accused person as a staff of UBA he was acting head domestic operations he recalled on the 29th June 2020 to 21st March 2022 at that time the accused person worked as a processor during that period on the 25th March 2022 the Chief Operation Officer brought a report to him a case of Fraudulent transaction by the accused person.
He further realized that the Salary schedule sent it in by the customer were Fraudulently manipulated and inserted Fraudulent customers account that were not part of the original file he further observed that he also involved five customers account and he later made statement to the police station
Cross examination by defense counsel Charles I Williams you told this court that you worked for UBA he said yes, how long have you worked for the bank in Sierra Leone the witness said since the 1st of December 2020.
You want this court to believe that as an internal Auditor of UBA Bank it fellows procedure to the letter the witness said yes, you want this court to believe that your procedure is water tight the witness said It’s water tight as long as the assigned to him in line with the establish process guide line.
As an internal Auditor do you have frequency or circumvention, the witness said since he came to Sierra Leone they don’t have case for circumvention serve for this one, based on what you have said do you want this court to believe that your system can be circumvented , it can be broken if those assign the responsibility which they control that they consider tight, a customer fills the firm, and the firm which has been completed is handed down to the relationship manager and later to the customer service officer, before the account is given a number and authenticated the witness said yes, for every single account follows this procedure the witness said yes.
You said the accused transferred to account but he didn’t open account the witness said yes, it was in 2021 that he became acting head the witness said he is not sure, do you have records of the accounts from which he transferred money to another account he said yes, monies held in the bank they do not float they are in an account the witness said yes, these accounts which you said transferred were made to where not open the witness said they were opened.
I am putting it to you that the quantum of money you alleged to have been transferred you don’t have records of the unit individual transaction the witness said they have the detail that in the system everything shows, can you please give us the five names of account from which the accused transferred to the witness said he don’t have them with him, you received the allegation, I conducted in house investigation, and at the time you were conducting it the accused didn’t help you, the witness said he helped them by confessing to you, in your audit report did you write it that the accused confessed to you the witness said No, did the accused signed the Audit report to prove that he helped you with the investigation the witness said he didn’t sign it.
As prudent investigator did you consider it prudent to include what the accused said to him whilst the investigation was on going the witness said he should, whilst you were doing this investigation the police were not present the witness said yes, before you bank employs an individual do you do bank ground check the witness said yes
However counsel renewed his previous Bail applications on behalf of the accused person; Magistrate Kekura refused bail and sent the accused person to the male correctional center in Freetown. Matter adjourned to the 9th May 2022 for further hearing, Assistant Superintendent of police Christiana Davies Cole ESQ prosecuting.
