By: Audrey Raymonda John
Francis Morlai Lincoln a staff of the Ministry of Environment has on Tuesday 6th June 2023 testified before magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba road court No1 as to how he was defrauded over 13 million Leones by one Abdulai Turay who claimed to be a Lecturer t Njala University.
The accused was arraigned before the court on six counts of charges ranging from obtaining money by false pretences and personation contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
The charge sheet indicated that the accused on 3 April 2023 at Robert Lane, Jui in Freetown, falsely pretended to be a PHD holder and a lecturer at Njala University Bo campus and under such assume character obtained thirteen million five hundred thousand Leones from Francis Morlai Lincoln and his friends by falsely pretending that he will facilitate their post-graduate scholarship program to study at Njala university college knowing to be false.
Led in evidence by Sergeant 9939 Lahai M, the witness Francis Morlai Lincoln said he is a civil servant working at the Ministry of Environment and he also recognized the accused.
He recalls on 3 April 2023, adding that on that day he was sitting at their shop when the accused met him saying to him that his face look familiar and said that they both attended Njala University which he confirmed.
He said the accused told him that he is a PhD holder now and he is also a lecturer at Njala University adding that he lectures master’s students.
The witness said the accused then told him that he will help him pursue his master’s at the said college since he is a lecturer, he took the accused to his parents and they were excited and they paid him one million five hundred Leones as an advance so that he can fast track the process.
He said the accused told him that he has five spaces and if he has relatives or friends that want to do their master, he can help them but it was not free as it cost five million but for his sake, they should pay three million each.
The witness continue that he immediately informed his friends Mark, Sheka, Aron and Sahr and each of them gave the accused three million Leones together with their passport pictures and details of their information.
He said the accused confirmed to him each time he received the money sent by his friends but did not produce a receipt of the payment made.
He said the accused later informed his friends asking them if they have friends who also want to do their master’s and if he will help them his friends call him and told him about the accused request and he immediately call the accused and told him that he said he had five spaces but why now he is still asking for more people.
He said it was at this point that they knew it was a fraud and they went to Njala University to confirm if they have Dr. AbdulaiTuray as a lecturer at the college and they said they did not know anyone by that name.
He said since then, he tried calling the accused but his phone was switched off.
At this juncture, Magistrate Ngegba adjourned the matter saying that there are other files that he wants to deal with.
Defense Counsel Abdulrahman made an application for bail on behalf of the accused.
He was refused bail and the matter was adjourned to 13th June 2023 for continuation.