By: Audrey Raymonda John
The ongoing alleged fraud case involving Daniel Tommy was on Thursday again brought before Magistrate John Manon Fornah of Pademba Road Court No. 2 in Freetown.
The accused persons are facing two counts of offences, namely Fraudulent Conversion, contrary to Section 20(1)(iv)(a) of the Larceny Act of 1916, and Larceny, contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the charge sheet, Daniel Tommy is alleged to have, on Monday, 4 May 2026, at New England in Freetown, Western Area, fraudulently converted to his own use certain properties entrusted to him by Salamatu Jannah for safekeeping. The items allegedly converted include three vehicle tyres valued at Le2,200 each, amounting to Le6,600, and one battery valued at Le2,000, bringing the total value of the property to Le8,600.
The second count alleges that Emmanuel Cuffie, on the same date and at the same location, stole one vehicle tyre valued at Le2,200 from a vehicle bearing registration number AUI 579, the property of Salamatu Jannah, while it was in the custody of Daniel Tommy.
When the charges were read and explained to the accused persons, no plea was taken from the first defendant on the charge of Fraudulent Conversion, while the second defendant, Emmanuel Cuffie, pleaded not guilty to the charge of Larceny.
The prosecutor, Sergeant 3379 Ballay T., led Prosecution Witness No. 3, Detective Sergeant 10783 Abdulai Mustapha Nyallay, attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the New England Ville Police Station.
In his testimony, Detective Sergeant Nyallay stated that he recognized both defendants and the complainant in the matter. He recalled that on 4 May 2026, while on duty, the complainant reported a case of fraud against the first defendant. Following the report, statements were obtained from the complainant and witnesses.
The witness informed the court that the complainant’s statement and witnesses’ statements, which have since remained in police custody, were produced and tendered as Exhibits A1-A2, B1-B4, and C1-C3.
Detective Sergeant Nyallay further testified that on 5 May 2026, he and Detective Inspector M. Kamara obtained separate caution statements from both defendants. He said the defendants were cautioned and questioned in Krio, and their responses were recorded in English. At the conclusion of the interviews, the statements were read and explained to them in Krio. According to the witness, both defendants admitted that the statements were true and correct and affixed their right-hand thumbprints in the presence of Detective Inspector M. Kamara, who witnessed the process. The statements were tendered as Exhibits D1-D6 and E1-E6.
The witness further stated that on 7 May 2026, he, along with other police officers and suspects, conducted an identification parade during which one John Simbo identified the second defendant. The identification parade form was produced and tendered as Exhibit F.
Continuing his testimony, Detective Sergeant Nyallay told the court that on the same date, he and Detective Inspector M. Kamara formally charged the first defendant with Fraudulent Conversion and the second defendant with Larceny from a Vehicle.
He added that both accused persons were again cautioned and questioned in Krio, with their responses recorded in English. Their statements were subsequently read and explained to them, after which they confirmed their accuracy by affixing their right-hand thumbprints. These statements were witnessed by Detective Inspector M. Kamara and tendered as Exhibits G1-G3 and H1-H3.
The witness was cross-examined by the second defendant.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, Magistrate Fornah remanded both defendants at the Male Correctional Centre in Freetown and adjourned the matter to 11 June 2026 for further hearing.