By: Audrey Raymonda John
The six accused persons are Sheku Kamara, alias Publish, a student; Saio Foday Jalloh, a Businessman; Ansumana Marrah, a student; Samuel Mansaray, a Student; and Mohamed Musa Kamara, a businessman. On Thursday, 31st October 2024, Mohamed Musa Kamara, a businessman, made another appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2 on one count of Conspiracy to defraud contrary to law.
According to the particulars of offense, on a date unknown between January and April 2024, in Makeni in Bombali Shebora Chiefdom in the Northern Judicial District in Northern Province in Freetown with intent to defraud, conspired together with other persons unknown and defrauded Best New Bank Company a total sum of Five Million, Eight Hundred and Ninty Thousand Three Hundred and Sixty-Three Leones ( 5,890,363).
The persecutor, Assitant Commission of Police (ACP) Joan Bull, led in Prosecution witness number one Alpha Jalloh, who worked for Maintenance Company PNB, testified that he knew the accused persons therein through this matter as they worked for an agency. He recalled that on the 17th of April 2024, their compliance department submitted a report to management in which caution transactions were flagged to have been paid and collected by some agent. Alpha noted that after receiving the report, they traveled to the province as most incidents occurred in the north.
He maintained that the report showed that the accused persons had created codes for picking up the money they used in their transactions from Vista and UTB bank. Alpha added that they collected the money, and after collecting it, they canceled the transactions for which they had collected the money. He echoed that the money was then refunded to the accused. He furthered that on April 18, 2024, the management team traveled to Makeni and reported the matter to the police station.
The Defense Counsel, M K. Koroma, cross-examined the witness and applied for the accused person’s bail, stating that the accused are Sierra Leoneans and students. He revealed that they have reliable sureties willing and ready to enter into recognisance on his behalf. Still, he will not interfere with prosecution witnesses or witnesses, nor will they jump bail. He applied under section 79 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Act No 32 of 1965.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Bangura refused bail, considering the accused persons were coming all the way from Makeni. As it would be very difficult to grant them bail, he sent them to the Male Correctional Facility. The matter was adjourned to November 5th, 2024, for further proceedings.
