By: Audrey Raymonda John
25yrs-old Ansumana Mustapha a businessman and 24yrs-old Salamatu Koroma a business woman made another appearance before Magistrate Hadiru K Daboh of Ross Road Court No.3 in Freetown on three count charges to wit Conspiracy to defraud contrary to law and two count charges ranging from Obtaining money by false pretences contrary to section 32 (1) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of the offence on a date unknown between Friday 1st to 30th April 2022 at Tombo Junction Waterloo the western area in Freetown conspired together and with other persons unknown to defraud Tenneh Sovula of the sum of twenty-four thousand Leones (Le 24,000); on count two on the same date and place with intent to defraud obtained the sum of nine million Leones (Le 9,000,000) from the said complainant to facilitate her travelling to Dubai knowing same to be false; on count three the accused persons at the same place and date obtained the sum of fifteen million Leones (Le 15,000,000) by falsely pretending that he will facilitate her travelling to Dubai knowing same to be false.
All charges were read and explained to the accused persons and no plea was taken.
Deputy Superintendent of police Fatmata Kuyateh led second Prosecution witness PW2 Bockarie Sovula a Farmer who said he recognized the accused person from the police station and recalled on a date between 1st to 30th April 2023.
PW 2 also said he recognized the complainant as his daughter and that on the above date, his daughter ran to him with joy that she has gotten a travelling program suggested to her by a Friend and his daughter give him the numbers of her friend Sally to wit 074069446, 033083889 and 079994126 and he started communicating with the said lady.
He continued that on these numbers the witness said the accused told him that she will assist to make her daughter travel to Canada and also assured him that she will help his daughter to travel.
Later the first accused person gave her daughter the number of the second accused person they started communicating and the second accused person told him that she will facilitate the travelling of his daughter the second accused person gave him the telephone number owned by the first accused person 074069446 and he transferred the sum of nine million Leones to the said number in the same month, according to the testimony.
PW 2 said he later send the sum of fifteen million old Leones to the said number; the witness said since then he didn’t hear from the accused persons.
PW2 confirmed in court that he was called at the Waterloo police station to make statements.
The accused persons were legally unrepresented.
Main while, Magistrate Daboh granted the accused person bail for one hundred thousand Leones or one surety in like sum surety to be gainfully employed by the government of Sierra Leone and to produce a valid identity card depicting his or her address in Freetown; bail to be approved by the Deputy Assistant Registrar.
The matter was adjourned to the 3rd February 2023 for further hearing.