By: Audrey Raymonda John
A contractor, Sajor Bah, has been arraigned before Magistrate Mustapha Briama Jah at the Pademba Road Court No. 1 in Freetown on seven counts, including conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretences, and fraudulent conversion, contrary to Section 32(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the particulars of offence, the accused allegedly conspired with persons unknown between November 1, 2024, and January 30, 2025, to obtain money by false pretences. The prosecution further alleged that between November 26, 2024, and January 31, 2025, at Youyi Building in Freetown, Bah fraudulently obtained Ten Thousand United States Dollars (US$10,000) equivalent to Le 242,950 along with an additional Le 150,000, bringing the total amount to Le 392,950, from the complainant, Umaru Napoleon Koroma.
Prosecutors alleged that the money was obtained under the false representation that the accused would construct a house for the complainant at Bathurst Village, knowing that the claim was untrue.
Testifying before the court, Prosecution Witness Hassan Kargbo, a Police Sub-Inspector attached to the Anti-Fraud Unit at the CID Headquarters, said he recognized both the complainant and the accused. He recalled that on June 3, 2025, the complainant reported the matter to CID Headquarters, where statements were obtained. At the time, the accused was not present, leading to the issuance of a bench warrant.
Kargbo further testified that on December 3, 2025, he and another CID officer arrested the accused pursuant to the bench warrant, which was tendered in court as Exhibit A. On December 4, 2025, a caution statement was obtained from the accused in Krio, interpreted and recorded in English, and later tendered as Exhibits B1-B22.
The witness informed the court that on December 10, 2025, CID officers visited three alleged crime scenes Leicester Peak near Regent, Kambia, and Kabala where investigators found uncompleted three-bedroom structures allegedly initiated by the accused. Photographs and reports from these visits were tendered as Exhibits C1-C3. When questioned, the accused reportedly attributed the situation to misappropriation of funds.
Additional evidence included a voluntary caution statement obtained on December 12, 2025, tendered as Exhibits D1–D6, and a charge statement dated December 18, 2025, marked as Exhibits E1-E2. The witness also told the court that receipts for payments allegedly made by the complainant were submitted and tendered as Exhibits F1-F9.
At the close of the testimony, the accused was remanded in custody for ruling, and the matter was adjourned to January 2, 2026.