April 6, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
First Police Witness (PW1), Fahim Mansaray appeared before Magistrate Mark Ngegba on the 1st April, 2021 at the Pademba Road Court in Freetown to testify against Ibrahim Turay, accused person in a case of fraudulent conversion. While testifying, PW1 said he knew the accused person at a mining Company in the Kono district.
The witness said sometime in 2020 he went to Kono district to assess how he could invest on mining. The witness continued to say he came across the accused person, Ibrahim Turay whom he explained his intention of joining the mining sector. The witness said after he had returned to Freetown, the accused person started calling and requesting monies from him, which he started sending through electronic Orange money mobile facility.
The witness, Fahim Mansaray further explained that the second money was to open a cinema with the aim of generating revenue. He revealed that the accused person requested for money for the following items 42 inches Plasma TV 2 cost fifteen million Leones (15,000,000/00), DSTV cost one million seven hundred thousand Leones (Le 1,700,000/00), 2.5 cable electrical cable cost one million Leone (Le 1,500,000/00) for role, LM Generator machine cost three million five hundred thousand Leones (Le 3,5000,000/00), 80 benches cost one million two hundred Leones (Le 1,200,000,00) and eighteen million Leones (Le 18,000,000/00) was sent to be paying workers in the gold mining site. The witness said the following item were bought by the accused person.
The witness further said towards the gold mining, he sent thirteen million Leones to the accused person. He added that after several months the accused person called him and said he has got some gold. Complainant then advised the accused person to come to Freetown with the gold but he did not. The witness said the sum total that he sent to the accused person was in the tune of eighty three million two hundred thousand Leones (Le 83, 2000, 000/00).
The witness said he further took the matter to the Tankoro Police Station in Kono and later the matter was transferred to Freetown. The witness under cross examination said there was no written agreement between him and the agreement.
Lawyer I. Macfoy represented the accused person, while Inspector A. Kumba represented the State. Matter has been adjourned to the 12th April, 2021.