By: Audrey Raymonda John
A courtroom revelation has cast doubt on the prosecution’s case against two bankers after a key witness admitted he was initially treated as a suspect and claimed he was merely “following orders” when he signed off on missing millions.
Hassan Fornah, 35, and Mohamed Tharm, 36, are accused of conspiring to defraud telecom company Q-Cell of Le 2,155,898.00 at Zenith Bank’s Bo branch between 20 January and 17 March 2025. The cash, handed over by Q-Cell staff for deposit, allegedly vanished before being credited to company account 6010306485.
The pair face three consolidated charges under the Larceny Act of 1916: conspiracy to defraud, fraudulent conversion, and fraudulent embezzlement.
However, under intense cross-examination by defence counsel M.B. Koroma, prosecution witness Morlia Bangura, a Zenith Bank teller, delivered surprising testimony.
Bangura revealed that police initially invited him as a suspect, not a witness. When asked if he knew the exact offences the accused faced, he replied: “No.” Pressed on signing the key financial document, Bangura testified: “It was an order from the financial signatory.” He insisted he was not involved with the bank’s cash handling system and that he was only responding to instructions from his superior, who handed him the relevant documents, including Q-Cell’s deposit slips.
When questioned whether his employment contract differed from the accused, Bangura said, “No.” He further admitted that the bank never conducted an internal investigation into the missing funds, and only police pursued him regarding the cash. When the defence suggested he could still be charged alongside the accused, he responded: “No.”
Following the witness’s testimony, counsel for the second defendant, F.A. Kamara, applied for bail, describing both men as “family men of good character” who would attend all court proceedings if released.
Magistrate Fornah, however, refused bail and remanded both defendants until the next adjournment on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.