By: Audrey Raymonda John
Magistrate SakrKekura of Ross Road Court No.1 in Freetown has remanded Ibrahim Bangura who was arrested on 28th December 2022 by Detective Police Constable (DPC) Kamara A for allegedly conspiring with an unknown person to commit a felony to wit, obtaining money by false pretences contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
The accused appeared before the court on five counts charges of conspiracy, and five counts of obtaining money by pretences contrary to section 23 (1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
It was alleged that Ibrahim Bangura, sometime in April 2022 187 Bai Bureh Road in Wellington in Freetown, conspired with unknown persons to commit a felony, to wit obtaining money by pretences.
The charge sheet adduced that the accused, on Thursday 29th September 2022 at the aforesaid place in Freetown, obtained fifteen thousand leones (NLe15, 000) from AbibatuAlie Bangura by falsely pretending that he would facilitate her to travel Sweden knowing the same to be false.
The police said the accused, sometime in September 2022 at 187 Bai Bureh Road One Word Garage in Wellington Freetown obtained twelve thousand leones (NLe12,000) from Mohamed Kamara by falsely pretending that he would facilitate his travelling to Malaysia knowing same to be false.
Prosecution witness number one Mohamed Kamara residing at PortLoko Road Rountif in Lungi told the court that he recognised the accused through his sister, AbibatuKargbo and could recall sometime in April 2022. The witness continued that the accused’s sister AbibatuKargbo introduced the accused to him as an agent, adding that AbbibatuKargbo gave the accused’s contact to him.
The witness said he and the accused started communicating on phone, disclosing that the accused instructed him to meet him at one Word Garage in Wellington in Freetown.
‘My Lord, upon my arrival at the crime scene, the accused led me to a building,’ he said
At this juncture, the police prosecutor Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Osman M. Bangura sought an adjournment for him to have a proper conference with his witness, an application which was granted. Though the Defence Counsel M. P Sesay adopted his previous application for bail on behalf his client, responding, Magistrate Kekura refused the accused bail and remanded him at the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road in Freetown. The matter was adjourned to 29th March 2023.