By:Audrey Raymonda John
Mariama Mansaray, a petty trader selling condiments along the street of Freetown has narrated how she was duped by two Fraudsters the sum of twenty million Leones after alleging they will facilitate her travelling to Canada.
The two alleged Fraudsters Manso Kamara and another are before magistrate Marke Ngegba of Pademba Road Court No.1 for preliminary hearings after police investigated and charged them to court.
It was alleged by the police that sometimes in January 2023, with intent to defraud, both accused received the sum of twenty million Leones from complainant Mariama Mansaray with the pretext to facilitate her travelling to Canada Knowing same to be false.
Taking the witness stand and led in her examination in chief by Assistant Superintendent of Police Ibrahim Mansaray, complainant Mariama Mansaray recognized both accused persons in the dock through her friend.
She said between 1st January 2023 and 23 of January 2023, she paid the sum of twenty million to the accused person who promised her they will facilitate travelling documents for her to go to Canada.
Questioned by the prosecutor as to whether she was issued a receipt after paying the money, complainant said she was not given any receipt.
She said after three months, she enquired from the first accused as to what is happening, but he told her they are processing her documents.
Explaining further, complainant said she did not go to Canada neither get back her money.
She said she then went and reported the matter to the police.
Cross examined by defense counsel C Kamara, complainant said she paid the sum of twenty million to first accused on the 28th of January 2023.
She confirmed in cross examination that at the time she paid the money she was not issued a receipt but filed a form which if seen will recognized.
She also stated in cross examination that she went for interview at Pyke Street.
Confronting complainant as to whether she knows where Canadian embassy was, she said she cannot tell.
Complainant said all what she told the court in her examination in chief was the hard fact about how she was duped.
At the end of cross examination, the matter was adjourned to the 7th of August 2023 for the prosecution to take its next witness.