July 2, 2021
By: Audrey John
Magistrate Mark Ngegba has on the 1st July 2021 sent one Francis Wilson to the Pademba Road Correctional Centre after Francis Morrison Johnson testified against him in an ongoing preliminary investigation into alleged $45,000 fraudulent gold deal.
Accused person Francis Wilson was on the 1st July 2021 arraigned before Magistrate Mark Ngegba at the Freetown Magistrate Court No. 2 on Pademba Road after police alleged that sometimes in April 2021, at College Road in Freetown, with intent to defraud, conspired with some other persons unknown to defraud one Francis Morrison Johnson the sum of $75,000 USD, equivalent to Le 666 million Leones.
Police also alleged that the accused, Francis Wilson, sometimes in April 2021, obtained the sum of $12,000 USD equivalent to Le 280 million Leones on the pretense that he has 8 kilogram of gold for sale knowing the same to be false.
Police further alleged that the accused on the 1st June 2021, at College Road in Freetown, obtained the sum of 45,000 USD equivalents to Le 468 million Leones after he claimed he had 15 kilograms of golf knowing same to be false.
Prosecution witness, victim and complaint, Francis Morrison Johnson, a resident of Congo Water at Wellington, an artist and a businessman recognized the accused person in the dock. He disclosed that the accused person was part of the team that took money from him in respect of gold.
Led in evidence by police prosecutor, Inspector A. T. Bangura the witness recalled sometimes in April 2021, he had a business partner, Mohosin Haydei, who is a Bangladesh national who is also interested in buying gold.
“I was introduced to the accused Wilson and his partners by one Joseph Kargbo who told me that they are into that kind of business and had license. I disclose my intention to the accused who asked me to meet him at his office at Godrich for us to have a discussion around the issue,” he explained.
He continued that he and one Ibrahim Bangura whom he worked with went to the accused’s office at Goderich. “The accused and one Edward Roy Macaulay told me that he had 35 kilo gram of gold, but I told them I wasn’t prepared for 35, so I told them I wanted 15 kilo gram of gold.
He furthered that a day after the witness visited the office again. “Edward Macaulay who also works with Wilson told me that Wilson together with the Bangladesh national will be traveling to overseas, so it will be nicer for us to do business immediately,” he said.
He said the accused and his partners brought an expert who tested the 15 kilo gram of gold which he wanted to buy. “After it was tested I was revealed that it was a gold bass, but I told them I don’t have the $45,000 USD, but $16,000 USD. ”Since I do not know the exporter, I therefore handed the money to one Edward,” he said. He told the Court that the exporter told him that he was going to do the processing in Dubai.
The following day, the witness said he was calling to know the if he and his partners can come for the gold, adding that at 7pm the accused called that they should meet in his office to collect a package he had sealed.
“At 3am in the morning while we were heading to Sea Coach we on boarded a “Keke”, before long I saw a vehicle which hit the “Keke” we were sited from behind. I now saw a very huge max man demanding for our bags. They took my bag and my partner’s and sprayed pepper spray on my eyes. I could not run, for they hit me on my feet, but my partners ran away,” he explained.
Wilson said he had in his possession$22, 700. The total amount of money which the accused carted away with is Le 468 million Leones,” he further revealed.
Wilson said he went to the Aberdeen Police Station and made statement. At the Police Station he realized that the same vehicle was used that same night for some other purpose. Wilson said he had not received the said gold up till now, as well as the money paid for the processing of the gold.
In his cross-examination, defense counsel, lawyer S. A. Bangura, enquired if the witness had license for dealing in gold, but the witness said he hadn’t any license, adding that that was why he contacted Wilson and his partners. Defense counsel disclosed that it is a crime for one to deal on gold without license. However, the witness said he merely sponsor the business but not a gold dealer.
The witness, when he was asked by defense counsel as to whether he did any background check before doing the business, he said he didn’t because he trusted the person that introduced him to the accused.
Defense counsel put it to the witness that it was he who wanted to dupe the Bangladesh national, but not the accused person in the dock, adding that it was not the witness that approached the accused person, but the witness maintained that he was introduced to the accused by one Edward Kargbo.
“I paid the $45,000 USD to Edward Kargbo who showed me bass of alleged gold. I hadn’t any license but they brought an exporter who had license to do the transaction,” he said.
Defense counsel renewed his application for bail, but Magistrate Mark Ngegba said he will only consider bail after he would have heard some more evidence.
Magistrate Mark Ngegba sent the accused into remand at the Male Correctional Facility on Pademba Road in Freetown, and he adjourned the matter to the 6th July 2021.