April 26, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
First Police Witness (PW1) and also the head of Human Resource at VESTA Bank, Abdulai Ibrahim Kanu has testified before Magistrate Mark Ngegba on the 23rd April, 2021 at the Pademba Road Court in Freetown in a case involving Alfred Aiah Saquee Kamanda and five others who are allegedly accuse of Larceny by servant and Larceny contrary to Laws of Sierra Leone.
The particulars of offence states that on the 24th January, 2013 to 2018 the accused persons at the First International Bank now the Vista Bank allegedly stolen from the said bank the sum of Thirty six Million Leones (Le 36,000,000/00) which was credited to Account Number 102-067-404-01 with account name George Yammah (accuse) being a servant or employee at the First International bank now the Vista Bank.
However, PW1 said he recognized the accused persons and also the first accused person as his former boss, the Finance Assistant at the said bank where he no longer works., while the second accused person was the Finance Officer at the said bank, the third accused person as a customer who also holds an account at the said bank. The witness said he recognized the third accused person at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the time of obtaining statement from him. Witness revealed that he recognized the fourth accused person as a customer of the bank.
While the fifth accused person was the Internal Controller and later became the head of Finance Audit Department, and the sixth accused person who was also the Head of the Finance Department both are no longer staff of the institution.
Under cross examination, Defense Lawyer E.T Lassayo asked if the witness is employed by the bank as record assistant. Witness said yes. Defense Lawyer for the first accused person asked the witness if he was at the bank when they employed the first accused person. The witness said yes and in 2013 he was working at the Human Resource Officer.
He continued to ask aside being Human Resource Officer, do you play any supervisory role, he said yes. Defense Lawyer Lassayo requested for his appointment letter to be produce to the court.
Another defense counsel for the second accused person, C.Campell Esq asked the witness if his role is to process exit letters for staff when they resign. Witness said yes. The witness said he wrote a recommendation letter to verify and assess the second accuse to work at the sister bank-ECOBANK.
When Defense counsel Lawyer M.D Kelly representing the fourth accused person asked the witness whether he had any idea about the fourth accused person having an account at the said bank, his responses was in the negative.
While the fifth defense counsel, D.E Taylor Esq asked if the witness duty as Human Resource officer is to keep records of all staffs both past and present. Witness said yes. He further asked if the witness was aware that customer’s service is more than just filing a complaint in the bank. Witness said yes. The witness confirmed to the court that for a day over one hundred customers opened account at the bank within their branches in the country.
Defense counsel continued to ask, “do you want to tell the court that Vista bank don’t have minutes of an interview of the Head of finance.”
Witness said they do have an evaluation form. Defense asked if there is a possibility to make payment without the knowledge of the Brach Manager. Witness said it is possible.
Defense Lawyer asked if he was aware that six accused persons who are allegedly accused of conspiring with other person unknown to defraud the bank. Witness said yes.
M.Bitter and Caroline A.B.Sesay represented the State, while Lawyer A.Kargbo and E.T.Lasayo represented the first and second accused person; C Campbell represented the second accused person, M.Lassayo for the third and fourth accused persons, M.J.M Sesay and M. Kamara for the fifth accused person and D.E.Taylor for the sixth accused person.
Lawyer A.Kargbo made an application for bail and it was refused, while all accused persons are taken to the Male Correctional Center. The matter was adjourned to 26th April, 2021.