By: Audrey Raymonda John
Mohamed Kamara, a commercial minibus (poda-poda) driver, has been charged with fraudulent conversion under Section 20 (iv)(a) of the Larceny Act of 1916, after allegedly absconding with a minibus and returning it in a damaged and vandalized state.
According to the charge sheet, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at the Lumley parking ground in Freetown, Kamara unlawfully converted a poda-poda (vehicle registration AVR-143) to his own use, along with several items from the vehicle, including three wheel tyres valued at Le 7,500, five passenger seats valued at Le 9,500, one Danta-labeled vehicle battery worth Le 1,600, one vehicle key worth Le 2,500 and one fire extinguisher valued at Le 500.
The total estimated value of the stolen property was Le 21,600.
Prosecution witness Joseph Kanu, an apprentice residing in Femitoma, Goderich, testified that both he and Kamara worked under the complainant, their boss. Kanu recalled that on July 9, while operating between Lumley and Regent Road, Kamara instructed him to drive the vehicle to Waterloo. Upon arrival, Kamara handed Kanu Le 50 to buy food. However, when Kanu returned, Kamara had vanished with the vehicle.
Kanu reported the incident to his boss the following morning, and the complainant later traced the vehicle, finding it abandoned in a damaged condition. A formal report was made to the police, leading to Kamara’s arrest.
Kamara has been remanded in custody, and the case has been adjourned to September 9, 2025, when the next prosecution witness is expected to testify.