By: Audrey Raymonda John
Anthony Turay, a businessman, was arraigned before Magistrate Adama Kandeh at Pademba Road Court No. 4 in Freetown, facing a charge of fraudulent conversion, contrary to Section 20 (i) (iv) (a) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the particulars of the offence, between 1st June 2017 and 31st December 2017, at the back of Metzchem, Goderich, in the western area of Freetown, the defendant allegedly fraudulently converted to his own use or benefit certain property entrusted to him by Yusif Kamara for safekeeping. The property in question included 850 cement blocks, valued at thirty Leones (Le 30,000), and 19 bags of cement, valued at one hundred and eighty Leones (Le 180,000), with a total value of twenty-eight million nine hundred and twenty thousand Leones (Le 28,920,000).
When the charge was read and explained to the defendant, no plea was taken.
Prosecutor Sergeant 10261 Kargbo called her third witness, Fatmata Kamara, a businesswoman, who testified that she knew the defendant through her husband, Yusif Kamara. She recalled that in June and December 2017, her husband entrusted the defendant with building materials for safekeeping. Fatmata confirmed that her husband gave the defendant 850 cement blocks, ten trips of sand, and 19 bags of cement, in her presence. The defendant promised to return the materials when needed but failed to do so.
Fatmata further testified that three days later, they visited the site and saw the defendant carrying blocks on his head. When they confronted him, he again promised to return the materials, but he never did, and the land was eventually taken from them because they could not develop it. She stated that after failing to find the defendant at his residence, they reported the matter to the Lumley Police Station, where she made a statement. Fatmata also mentioned that the defendant promised to pay three thousand Leones (Le 3,000) at the station but failed to do so, prompting them to bring the case to court.
Defense counsel A.G.M. Lukullay cross-examined the defendant and applied for bail on his behalf. However, Magistrate Kandeh refused bail and remanded the defendant to the Male Correctional Centre in Freetown. The case has been adjourned to 31st October 2025 for further proceedings.