By: Audrey Raymonda John
Abdulia Okomi Kamara, a 54-year-old businessman, appeared before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No. 2 on Wednesday, 26th March 2025, facing three counts of obtaining money by false pretenses, contrary to Section 32 of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the charge sheet, Kamara allegedly defrauded Alhaji Sanusy Bah by obtaining money under false pretenses. The charges stated:
On Monday, 4th December 2023, at No. 79 Campbell Street, Freetown, Kamara allegedly obtained Seventy Thousand Leones (NLe 70,000.00) from Bah on behalf of Abdul Gadrie Kamara, falsely claiming to have six town lots of land for sale at Hastings.
On Friday, 22nd December 2023, Kamara allegedly obtained One Hundred Thousand Leones (NLe 100,000.00) from Bah with the same false claim of having land for sale at Hastings.
On Sunday, 14th January 2024, Kamara allegedly obtained Twenty-Two Thousand Leones (NLe 22,000.00) from Bah with the same false pretext.
When the charges were read to the accused, he pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The state prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police Sorie Conteh, called his second witness, Mohamed Kamara, a solicitor’s clerk at Bah and Co Solicitors. Mohamed Kamara testified that he knew both the complainant and the accused and had witnessed payments related to a land transaction.
He recalled that on 4th December 2023, he was at his office when the accused and the complainant had a transaction. Mohamed Kamara testified that he witnessed the payment of Le 70,000.00 to the accused and signed the receipt acknowledging the payment. “I hereby identify the said receipt as marked Z,” he stated.
He further testified that on 22nd December 2023, he also witnessed the payment of Le 100,000.00 to the accused for which he signed the receipt, identifying it as “Exhibit B.” He confirmed that he made a statement to the police regarding these events.
The defense counsel, A.N.D. Mura, applied for bail on behalf of the accused, citing that Kamara is a citizen of Sierra Leone and a family man. He referenced Section 79(2)(3)(11) of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1965.
However, Magistrate Bangura denied bail, citing the seriousness of the charges, and ordered that the accused be remanded in custody. The case has been adjourned to 3rd April 2025 for the continuation of the trial.