By: Audrey Raymonda John
33yrs Michaela Ruth Dunyagueh Kamanda a sales person made another appearance before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba road court No.1 in Freetown on two count charges to wit Conspiracy contrary to law and Embezzlement contrary to section 17 (1) (b) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of offence on the accused person and other unknown person on a date unknown between March, 2021 and 30th September 2021 at No.1 Wilberforce Street the western area in Freetown conspired together and with other persons unknown to defraud Sahid Swaid; on count two on the same date and place the accused person Fraudulently embezzled the sum of four hundred and two million two hundred and fifty- two million Leones (402,252,000) received by her for and on account of Benco trading Limited/fresh shop.
The head of the Scientific and Cybercrime unit at the Criminal Investigation Department, Pademba Road, Inspector Mohamed Jusu has explained steps he took to examined and record messages on the WhatsApp phone of one Ruth Dunyagueh Kamanda who was alleged to have stolen a huge amount of money for a company she was working for.
Led in evidence by Assistant Superintendent of police Christiana Davies Cole, he said on the 12th October 2021 he was on duty at the Cyber lab unit at the Criminal Investigation Department Pademba Road when he received one Techno mobile phone and correspondence from the break and larceny syndicate for examination.
He said upon receiving the above he physically examined the phone by connecting to phone to the Cyber lab WiFi so that it can get Internet connectivity.
The police witness said he used the tool to authenticate the name of the phone by observing the command hash to get the International mobile identification number. He said he also observed the command star one six zero to get the Qcell number of the phone and another command which helped him get the Africell number after which he access the GB WhatsApp that was installed on the phone.
The police witness said he screen shot some of the messages on the WhatsApp, and finally reduced his finds to report.
The finally copy of the report was produced tendered and marked as exhibit K one to six.
Testing the evidence in cross examination by defense counsel Charles I Williams, the witness said during investigation he contacted the mobile companies.
The witness recognized the letter of the company the accused was working with and confirmed that the accused was present when he was doing his findings.
Cross examined on the issue of the Africell number, the witness said when he contacted the mobile company they said that number was out of use for some times now.
The witness was instructed to enter his findings on a CD plate but he never complied with such instruction.
At the end of cross examination the matter was adjourned to the 26th of October, 2022.