By Audrey Raymonda John
Two surveyors, a 33-year-old Saio Turay and 30-year-old Fara Bangalie Kamara made another appearance before Magistrate John Manso Fornah of the Pademba Road Court No. 2 on charges related to an alleged land fraud case.
The accused are facing four counts, including conspiracy to commit a felony and three counts of obtaining money by false pretences, contrary to Section 32(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the particulars of the offence, between 1st and 10th May 2024, at the Youyi Building Canteen in the Western Area of Freetown, the accused persons allegedly conspired with unknown individuals to commit a felony namely, obtaining money by false pretences.
Count Two: On the same date and location, the accused allegedly obtained Le 50,000 from Ansumana Conteh by falsely claiming they had land for sale at *Grafton Highway, knowing the claim to be false.
Count Three: On 1st May 2024, at 7C Hill Cut Road, Wilberforce, they allegedly obtained Le 5,500* from Conteh, falsely claiming it was for the preparation of land documents.
Count Four: Also on 1st May, at the same address, the second accused allegedly obtained Le 2,000 from Conteh by pretending he had surveyed one and a half town lots at Grafton Highway, again knowing it to be untrue.
When the charges were read and explained in court, no plea was taken from the accused persons.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Sorie Conteh, the prosecutor, led the first prosecution witness, Ansumana Conteh, a driver, who identified both accused in the dock.
Conteh recounted that between 1st and 10th May 2024, he met the second accused, Fara Bangalie Kamara, who claimed he had land for sale. They exchanged contacts, and later, along with Conteh’s wife, Yatta Sama, they visited the land site at Hill Station, where they met the first accused, Saio Turay, who showed him the land.
Conteh expressed interest in purchasing the land, after which the accused told him they needed to go to the Ministry of Lands. There, they met the Director of Lands, Momoh Banya, who inquired how the land was found. The second accused said the first accused was the rightful owner.
Conteh was then asked to pay Le 5,500 for the land documents. Later, they proceeded to survey the land at Grafton Highway, accompanied by officials from the ministry. Conteh said he went with his elder brother, Mohamed Conteh, and an elder man named Pagal. For the transport of the surveying team, he was asked to pay Le 2,000, which he did through his brother.
Later, at the Ministry of Lands, both accused told him the price of the land was Le 110,000, but after negotiation, they agreed on Le 95,000. He was instructed to create a structure on the land, but the accused insisted that payment must be made first.
They later threatened that the land would be sold to someone else if he didn’t pay. As a result, Conteh made a part payment of Le 50,000, with the promise that security would be provided. The accused took him to the director again, who told them to proceed to the canteen to complete the transaction, citing limited office space.
As they were about to take photographs and make the payment, the director reportedly left the scene. At this point, the prosecutor requested a short adjournment to continue the proceedings.
Magistrate Fornah denied bail and ordered that the accused be remanded at the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown. The matter was adjourned to 17th September 2025.