By Audrey Raymonda John
Three defendants, Michael Forbie, Director of Estates at State House; Zaino Deen Karim, Director of Finance at Petroleum Directorates; and Williams Forbie, a former Salcab engineer, appeared before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court no 2 on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. They are accused of allegedly obtaining forty-six million old Leone and a Nissan vehicle from Daniel Sellu for the investment of a fiber optic project for profit.
The defendants were arraigned on two counts of fraudulent conversion, contrary to section 20(1)(iv)(a) of the Larceny Act of 1916. It is alleged that between January 1st and December 31st, 2020, in Freetown, they fraudulently converted to their own use or benefit the sum of forty-six million old Leone and one Nissan vehicle valued at $15,000, equivalent to one hundred and fifty million old Leone, from Daniel Sellu for the purpose of investing in a fiber optic project for profit, knowing it to be false.
During the proceedings, lawyer Emmanuel Saffa Abdulia, representing the defendants, argued that journalists’ publications indicated his clients were involved in fraud, while the charges against them were not specifically about fraud. He requested the magistrate to look into the matter.
Lawyer Charles Williams, representing the complainant Daniel Sellu, argued that the charge states fraudulent conversion, which implies a fraud matter. He urged the magistrate to review the journalists’ story to determine if it constitutes contempt.
Magistrate Bangura requested that lawyer Williams bring the papers to him for review to ascertain if there is contempt in the report.
The witness was about to tender pictures of the said vehicle but was asked to wait by the court until the next adjourned date.
The defendants are on bail, and the matter was adjourned to February 19, 2024, for continuation.
