By: Audrey Raymonda John
A complainant in an alleged Canada visa fraud case has testified before the Principal Magistrate Court No. 1 in Freetown that she made payments for her travel process through lawyer Sigismond Conteh, who issued receipts for the transactions.
The witness, Patricia M. Abu, made this disclosure while testifying in a case involving three defendants Thomas Bundu, Debara Gitta Kamara, and Albert Junior Lamin who are facing multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime and obtaining money by false pretences.
The defendants are accused of conspiring between 4 October 2025 and 15 February 2026 at No. 41 Freetown Road, Lumley, Freetown, to commit a crime by obtaining money under false pretences. It is alleged that they fraudulently obtained large sums of money from several individuals, promising to facilitate their travel from Sierra Leone to Canada with work visas.
The charge sheet details the following alleged transactions: USD 4,050 (NLe 95,985) from Kumba Moripeh; USD 2,050 (NLe 48,400) from Mary Degba Lebbie; USD 1,800 (NLe 43,300) and NLe 6,000 (totaling NLe 49,300) from Florence Fengai; NLe 73,200 from Sorie Ibrahim Sesay.
In her testimony, Patricia M. Abu told Inspector Mabel Tarawalie that the first defendant, Thomas Bundu, never explained the travel program to her, nor did she receive an application form. She clarified that she did not make any direct payments to him and that the initial dealings took place at the office of their lawyer, Sigismond Conteh, not at Bundu’s place of work.
Abu explained that she was introduced to Bundu by the second defendant, Debara Gitta Kamara, in October 2025, and was told the transaction was being handled by a company called “Positive Travel and Tour.” She entered into a written agreement with the defendants, which included a refund clause if the process failed. Abu traveled to Guinea, underwent biometric fingerprinting, and had her personal details verified, but later discovered the visa was fraudulent.
Abu also testified that she was instructed by the company to wait for an offer letter from Guinea before proceeding with her travel. However, when the letter did not arrive, she requested a refund. She signed a repayment agreement with Bundu, but when no refund was made, she reported the matter to the police.
Abu stated that she was initially asked to pay USD 4,000 for the visa process and made a first payment of USD 1,500 (Le 34,500,000) at the office of Sigismond Conteh, who issued a receipt. She later paid a total of USD 4,500 at the same office, in the presence of all three defendants, with Bundu signing for the money received.
During the proceedings, the defence counsel applied for bail on behalf of the first defendant, citing Section 76(1)(c) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 2024. However, Magistrate Jah refused the bail application, and the matter was adjourned to 23 April 2026.
Inspector Mabel Tarawalie later re-examined the witness as the case continues.