By: Audrey Raymonda John
On Monday, August 11, 2025, Musa Joseph Sesay, the former Human Resource and Administrative Officer, and Joshua Gbanyah, the former Dispatch Rider who was later promoted to Administrative Officer at Bloom Bank Africa, appeared before Principal Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah at the Freetown Magistrate Court No. 1. They face charges of embezzling over six hundred thousand new Leones (NLe 600,000) meant for payments of the EDSA (Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority) top-up and submitting fake receipts to the bank as proof of payments.
The two were arraigned on forty-one (41) charges, including conspiracy to defraud, larceny by servant, causing money to be paid by false pretenses, and forgery. These offenses are all in violation of Sierra Leone’s laws.
According to the charge sheet, Sesay and Gbanyah, during their tenure at the bank between January 2 and December 31, 2023, allegedly misappropriated funds intended for the payment of the bank’s electricity bills. The charges specifically highlight that the two men are accused of misappropriating a total of NLe 621,000 (over six hundred thousand Leones) that was meant to settle the bank’s electricity bills.
Additionally, the charge sheet reveals that Gbanyah is accused of forging documents from the College of Digital Excellence, including falsifying statements of results bearing his name, which were purportedly prepared and signed by the college’s Registrar. These documents were reportedly used to mislead the bank about his qualifications, further complicating the case.
At the court session, both accused individuals were present. The second prosecution witness and lead prosecutor ASP Ibrahim Mansaray were also in attendance. However, Lawyer Charles Pujeh, who represents the second accused, Gbanyah, was absent.
Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah expressed his desire for all parties to be present during subsequent hearings and emphasized that the case should move forward expeditiously. He set the next hearing date for August 13, 2025, when the case will continue.
The proceedings are being closely followed as the court seeks to address these serious allegations of financial misconduct and forgery within the bank.