By: Audrey Raymonda John
Mohamed Bah, an auxiliary staff member at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, appeared before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at Pademba Road Court No. 2 in Freetown, charged with allegedly forging a survey site plan document and passing it off as authentic.
Bah is arraigned on five counts including conspiracy to commit a felony, forgery, uttering a forged survey plan, trespass, and obtaining money by false pretences contrary to Section 32(1) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the charge sheet, on 13th February 2025 at the Ministry of Lands, Youyi Buildings, Freetown, Bah conspired with unknown persons to commit forgery.
The indictment further states that on the same date and location, Bah, with intent to defraud, forged a survey site plan document, falsely presenting it as authentic.
Additionally, Bah is accused of uttering a forged survey plan document, purporting it to be a genuine plan with LS Number 313/25 for 1.1090 acres of private land at Kotopema MacDonald off Peninsular Road, Freetown. The property is said to belong to Mr. Sheku Jawara and Mrs. Isata Selvine Jawara, but Bah knew the document to be forged and intended to defraud.
The indictment also states that on 3rd January 2025, Bah unlawfully trespassed on state land at Kotopema MacDonald, Freetown, despite warnings not to do so. From 1st to 6th January 2025, at Bar Junction, Goderich, he allegedly obtained seventeen thousand Leones (Le 17,000) from Sheku Jawara by falsely claiming he would survey the land and prepare a true and accurate survey plan, knowing the plan would be false. The land in question is the property of Derrick Obioseh.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Joan M.S. Bull led prosecution witness number three, Detective Police Constable 17856 Ibrahim Sorie Koroma, attached to the Lands and Environmental Crime Unit at OSD Headquarters, Brookfields, Western Area, Freetown. DPC Koroma recounted that on 23rd May 2025, a forgery case was reported by the Deputy Director of Lands, and he was assigned to investigate.
He took a statement from Sheku Jawara, who implicated the accused in preparing the forged document. The accused was arrested, and a voluntary caution statement was obtained from him in Krio, recorded in English, and read back for confirmation. The accused admitted the statement was true by affixing his thumbprint. The statement was witnessed by DPC 10256 Bangura D and signed by the recorder. This statement was produced and tendered in court as part of the evidence.
DPC Koroma also obtained and tendered statements from other prosecution witnesses. On 27th May 2025, the accused was formally charged using the same procedure and signed statements, which were entered into court records.
The accused was represented by I.M. Turay Esq.
Magistrate Fornah refused bail due to the seriousness of the charges and remanded Mohamed Bah to the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown. The matter is adjourned to 17th July 2025.