By: Audrey Raymonda John
Ishmael Hortons Jalloh, a 39-year-old businessman and former Card Operations Officer at Ecobank Sierra Leone, made another appearance before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at Pademba Road Court No. 2, facing one count of Larceny by Servant, contrary to Section 17(1)(a) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the police charge sheet, between September 5, 2022, and November 2024, at the Ecobank Head Office in Freetown, Jalloh while serving as a Card Operations Officer allegedly stole the sum of Le981,268.38 (Nine Hundred and Eighty-One Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixty-Eight Leones, Thirty-Eight Cents) in new notes from Ecobank’s General Ledger.
He is accused of transferring the funds into Car Tech Account Number: 6340005879, from which the money was withdrawn by the account owner on Jalloh’s instruction. The money is said to be the property of Ecobank Sierra Leone Limited.
When the charge was read and explained, no plea was taken by the accused.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Dialla Wellington, prosecuting the matter, requested a short adjournment to confer properly with her witness before continuing the trial.
Defence Counsel J.B. Massaquio Esq. applied for bail on behalf of the accused, arguing that Jalloh has reliable sureties, poses no flight risk, and had already been granted bail at the police station. The bail application was made pursuant to Section 79(2) and (3) of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1916.
Magistrate Fornah granted bail in the sum of Le1,500,000 (One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Leones), with one surety in like sum. The surety must be a senior, responsible citizen, resident in Freetown, gainfully employed, and must present both a valid National Identity Card and an Employment ID Card from a recognized institution.
The Deputy Assistant Registrar has been tasked with approving the bail and surety documents. The matter was adjourned to September 10, 2025, for continuation of trial.