By: Audrey Raymonda John
43yrs old Aruna Bangura a miming made his first appearance before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba road court No.1 in Freetown on three court charges ranging from Fraudulent conversion Contrary to Section 20 (1) (iv) (a) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of offence on diverse dates between 1st September 2017 to 31st October 2018 at Freetown the western area in Freetown Fraudulently converted to his own use or benefit certain property that is to say Forty sacks of used shoes, hand bags, belts, two hundred electronic cigarette and other various items all to the total value of two million, three hundred and ninety-seven thousand new Leones(2,397,000) entrusted to him by Dr Cyprian Okoro for the purpose of sale property of the said Dr Cyprian Okoro.
On count two on the 7th February 2019 Fraudulently converted to your own use or benefit the sum of twenty one thousand new Leones (21,000) entrusted to him by Dr Cyprian Okoro for the purpose of safe keeping on count three on diverse dates between 1st September 2017 to 31st October 2018 in Freetown Fraudulent converted to his own use or benefit the cash sum of one hundred and seventy four thousand nine hundred and forty three new Leones(174,943,00) entrusted to him by Dr Cyprian Okoro for the purpose of safe keeping.
Assistant Superintendent of police Ibrahim S Mansaray led the first Prosecution witness (PW1) Dr Cyprian Okoro a medical doctor.
The witness said he recognized the accused person as his employee since 2017 to 2019 in Siplina Venture Limited located at 116 old driver off Regent Road,Lumley.
PW1 said he recalled on diverse dates between 1st September 2017 to 31st October 2018 during that period he appointed the accuse as the company manager and sent him five feet containers, caterpillar bulldozer, drugs and other various items around December 2018.
He revealed that some one called him from London informing him that their is lot of fraud going on in his company. The items were sent to the accused person for him to do a bank in the complainant’s account.
The witness said between the 1st of September 2017 and 7th November 2019 he made a total of one hundred and ninety five thousand nine hundred and ninety three new Leones to the accused person and the purpose of sending the money was for the accused person to manage his business.
The witness said he has the supporting documents while doing the transactions and it contains the transfer codes; the said documents were handed over to the police.The documents were produced and tendered in court to form part of the court records.
The witness said he sent various goods and Machines to the accused person during September 2017 and October 2015 in seven separate shipment and that he had the bail of laden and the consignee in his possession.
PW1 said they’re in his custody and wishes to tendered it in court to form part of the court records; it was produced and tendered in court. The witness said the accused person cleared the goods and he opened a shop for him and his wife in Kenema where the goods were packed.
He said on February 2019 he noticed there was fraudulent act and he rushed to Sierra Leone and reported the matter. The Police apprehended the accused person in his presence and he showed the police officer places where the goods were kept, some goods were recovered, and he took photograph of the recovery goods with his mobile phone.
Counsel representing the accused person A.A Kamara renewed his previous Bail applications on behalf of the accused person, but was refused bail and accused was remanded in Prison.
Matter was adjourned to the 12th December, 2022.