By: Audrey Raymonda John
John Amidu Conteh, Zainab Kamara and Aminata Koroma were yesterday sent on remand by magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba road court No1 over an alleged traveling fraud in the sum of $4,250 USD.
The accused persons were arraigned on two counts charges of conspiracy to defraud contrary to law and obtaining money by false pretences contrary to section 32(1)of the larceny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of offence, on count 1 the accused persons on a date unknown between 1st November, 2022, and 9 November 2022 in Freetown with intent to defraud, conspired together with other person’s unknown to commit a crime to wit obtaining money by false pretences.
Whiles Count 2 added that the accused persons on the 10 November 2022, at Lucas street, Freetown with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of four thousand two hundred and fifty united states dollars ($4,250/00USD) equivalent to the sum of (NLE 85, 000/00) from Hawanatu Moseray by falsely pretending to facilitate her travel to Australia, knowing same to be false.
The complainant Hawanatu Moseray led in evidence by police sergeant 9939 Lahai recognized the accused persons.
She further recalled 10 November 2022, adding that on that day herself and husband Micheal Lahai together with one of her friend Abibatu went to the accused persons` house in respect of her traveling to Australia.
She said whiles they were at their house, second accused Zainab Kamara asked them to make part payment which she did in the sum of 4,250 US dollar so that she could work on their documents.
She said the accused also ask her to prepare her passport and yellow card.
“I later got it and took it to the second accused resident, after which she told me to get a police clearance which I did and send to her”, the witness stated.
The witness said since then the second accused has not been picking her calls, and that on the 13 February this year she received a call from her friend in respect of the accused persons where about and they were later arrested and brought to CID but since then she has not received her money.
She said she later made statement to the police at CID
The second accused when she was asked to cross examine the witness said she has no question for her, noting that all what the witness said in court was the truth.
Magistrate Ngegba refused them bail and adjourned the matter to the 11th May 2023.