By: Audrey Raymonda John
Two individuals, Musa Seaport Kamara, a 27-year-old businessman, and Cecilia Briggs, a 24-year-old student, were again arraigned before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at Pademba Road Court No. 2 on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. The pair face five counts of criminal charges, including conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretences, and unlawful possession of passports.
The charges stem from an alleged overseas travel scam involving fake promises of Canadian visas in exchange for large sums of money.
According to the police charge sheet, between November 1st and 30th, 2024, at Goderich in the Western Area of Sierra Leone, the accused conspired with unknown individuals to defraud one Makalay Mansaray of $19,000 USD, approximately Le456,000.
Count One: Conspiracy to defraud, contrary to law. Count Two: Obtaining $8,000 USD (Le19,200) by false pretence from Makalay Mansaray, pretending to secure Canadian visas for Joseph Kambiama and Elizabeth Kambiama. Count Three: On December 24th, 2024, the accused allegedly obtained $10,000 USD (Le240,000) under the same false visa promise. Count Four: Between November 24th and 30th, 2024, they reportedly obtained another $1,000 USD (Le24,000) from the same victim using the same fraudulent claims.
Count Five: Specifically targeting Musa Seaport Kamara, it is alleged that between January 1st and 31st, 2025, in Ghana, he knowingly possessed multiple Sierra Leonean passports belonging to other individuals for unlawful purposes particularly to restrict movement and facilitate human trafficking. This is in violation of Section 16(1) of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act, 2022 (Act No. 12 of 2022).
When the charges were read and explained in court, no plea was taken from the accused.
Lead Prosecutor DPC 18235 Thoronka K.K presented Prosecution Witness No. 4, Sergeant 8576 Issa Kamara, attached to the Exhibit Office at the **CID Headquarters, Pademba Road, Freetown.
Sergeant Kamara testified that on May 19th, 2025, while on duty, he received eight Republic of Sierra Leonean passport booklets from DPC 14944 Amara T.T*. The passports bore the names Mohamed Mustapha Conteh, Ahmed Mustapha Conteh, Theresa Haja Kamara, Kemoh Jalloh, Mohamed John Conteh, Alusine Kamara, Mohamed Koroma and Alpha K. Bangura
He registered them under Court Exhibit Serial Number 049/2025, and they have remained in police custody since. These passports were tendered in court and marked as Exhibits M1 to M8, forming part of the official court record.
Following the presentation of evidence, Magistrate Fornah adjourned the matter to September 24th, 2025 for further hearing.
The case highlights ongoing concerns around fake travel agents, human trafficking, and the use of fraudulent documents in Sierra Leone’s travel and immigration landscape.