By: Audrey Raymonda John
Forty-one years old Foday Sedia Turay a business man and thirty-three years old Joseph Gassimu a Tailor made another appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba road court No.3 in Freetown on two count charges to wit Conspiracy to defraud contrary to law and Obtaining money by false pretenses contrary to section 32(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the particulars of offence on a date unknown between 1st to 31st May 2023 at Siko motors along Regent Highway the western area in Freetown conspired together and with other persons unknown to defraud Ahmed George Sam.
On count two, on the same date and place the accused persons with intent to defraud obtained the sum of one hundred and twenty thousand Leones(120,000) from Ahmed George Sam by falsely pretending to sell one unregistered Nissan Rogue Jeep knowing same to be false.
Sergeant 9155 Dwight Macarthy lead Prosecution witness number one Ahmed George Sam a business man he recognised the accused person in the dock in this matter he recall on the 1st to 31st May 2023 something transpired between herself and the accused person his wife that she had seen a Nissan Rogue vehicle by then he has told her that he want to buy a vehicle.
The witness said himself; his wife and the accused person went to mortem Community where they identified a grey color Nissan Rogue.
On the following day he sent his mechanic to test the vehicle his mechanic told him that he had tested it was good and he called one Joseph Manner with whom he confirmed the price for the vehicle.
He said the first accused person will receive the payment and deal in the vehicle.
He said 1st accused person has everything about the vehicle, the following morning he met the 1st accused person in the bank where he withdrawn the money he paid to the accused person.
They proceeded to mortem were the vehicle was parked the accused person gave him the key of the vehicle in the presence of his wife.
One Ahmed a Korean national then came and asked if he was the one who want to buy the vehicle he answered him in the affirmative.
He asked her for the vehicle documents and she took him right into her office she showed him the documents. The witness said he wants to see the documents but she insisted on payment to be made before she released the documents.
He asked her how to pay the money she told him to pay the money to the 1st accused person.
He then took one hundred and twenty thousand Leones and pay it on the floor in the Korean office she then said she was not receiving payment in Leones.
The 1st accused person offered to go and change the money in dollars and went away and he asked the woman for the papers she insisted on payment been made first.
He told her that he has paid to the accused person she asked to go and change the money to dollars.
She told him that she didn’t know the accused person he then went to Jui and Shell dollar ground but the accused person is nowhere to be found, he then informed the guy whom he paid the money to the police station.
He then reported the 1st accused person to the Lumley Aberdeen police station he was later called to identify one Joseph Manner whom he communicated with through phone.
Leading the transaction he was called upon at the Lumley Police station for another identification parade were he identified the 1st and 2nd accused persons since then he didn’t receive his money neither the vehicle, he made statement to the police.
Counsel representing the accused persons A.G Kamanda renewed his previous bail applications on behalf of the accused persons.
Meanwhile Magistrate Bangura granted bail to the first accused person in the sum of one hundred and twenty thousand Leones with two sureties in like sum.
Sureties to have an open account with not less than half of the sum stated on bail bond bail to be approved by the Deputy assistant Registrar. Matter adjourned to the 3rd November 2023 for further hearing.
