By: Audrey Raymonda John
Three accused who identified themselves as Anthony Bundu Bangalie a business man Ibrahim Thaimu Dumbuya a teacher and Fatmata Gbla business woman on Monday 13th November 2023 made their fifth appearance before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba Road Court no 1 in Freetown as they were alleged of forging one birth certificate purporting to have been prepared and signed by the Director of the National Civil Registration Authority.
The accused were standing trial before the court on four count charges ranging from conspiracy to commit a felony, forgery of documents, uttering of forged document and causing money to be paid by means of fraud all contrary to law.
The charge sheet indicated that the accused between 1st and 31st May 2023, at Blue House Wellington in Freetown, conspired together to commit a crime to wit forgery.
The charge sheet furthered that the accused also forged one birth certificate documents with serial number BC0166702 dated 22 May 2023 purported to have been signed by the Director General of the National Civil Registration Authority knowing same to be false.
The charge sheet ended that the second accused Ibrahim Thaimu Dumbuya caused Fatmata Gbla to pay the sum of four hundred new Leones to Anthony Bundu Bangalie in respect of a birth certificate purported to have been prepared and issued by the Director General of the National Civil Registration Authority knowing to be false.
In continuation of his testimony, the witness
Abubakar Jagomin working at the National Civil Registration Authority said that after the fake birth certificate was issued by the third accused Fatmata Gbla to him in his office, he went to cross check whether the birth certificate has been issued by the office to another because it looks fake.
He said he went and met the officers in charge of the archives and asked them to cross check the numbers on the birth of which is BC 0166702.
He continued that after their search, in their records they found out that the said birth certificate was issued to one Ganiyu Ishola long time ago.
The birth certificate containing the name Ganiyu was produced for identification in court and was mark as Z.
The witness said after his findings he went back to his office and was later called to make statement at criminal investigation department headquarters.
During cross examination by defense Counsel Abdulraham the witness said he cannot tell whether the said birth certificate was prepared by the third accused Fatmata Gbla.
The witness furthered that he verified the said birth certificate in his office.
The accused are on bail but the first accused Anthony Bundu Bangalie was unable to meet the bail condition and so his lawyer made an application for verification of the bail which was granted by the bench
The matter was adjourned to 27th November 2023 for continuation.