By: Audrey Raymonda John
Two businessmen, Musa Seaport Kamara (27) and Serro Sesay, have been remanded at the Male Correctional Centre following their arraignment before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at Pademba Road Court No. 2. They face allegations of involvement in an international visa fraud scheme worth \$32,000.
The accused face three charges, including conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretenses, contrary to Section 32(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916, possession of another person’s passport for unlawful purposes, contrary to Section 16(1) of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act, 2022.
According to the police charge sheet, the accused conspired with others unknown to defraud Joseph Dawson Kamara of $32,000 USD (approximately Le768,000) between November 2024 and January 2025. The fraud involved promises of securing Brazilian visas as a pathway for travel to the United States.
Prosecution witness David Mansaray, a businessman and one of the alleged victims, testified that Kamara convinced him to participate in a visa program involving travel through Brazil to the U.S. Mansaray was instructed to deposit \$18,000 at Tombo Wharf Road. The transaction was confirmed by Sesay, who claimed to handle visa arrangements for Kamara.
An agreement was signed, photographs were taken, and further payments were made including $8,000 to Kamara’s brother and \$6,000 to a third party, Haja Zainab Kamara.
Mansaray stated that passports were arranged for him and his wife without their knowledge, with their names altered to Osman Korka Diallo and Aminata Williams.
The accused reportedly instructed the victims to travel to Ghana, where their flight tickets were repeatedly canceled. At Kotoka International Airport, it was discovered that the visas and tickets were fake. Mansaray’s pregnant wife was briefly detained but later released with assistance from a Sierra Leonean at the airport.
Following the incident, a report was made to the Ghanaian police. A search of Kamara’s residence uncovered nine Sierra Leonean passports, including Mansaray’s, which are now in police custody.
Defense lawyer Z.A. Kanu applied for bail under Section 79(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1965, arguing that both accused are Sierra Leonean residents with fixed addresses. However, bail was denied due to the serious nature of the offences.
The case has been adjourned to 28th August 2025 for further proceedings.