May 31, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
Two accused persons Abdul Karim Dollison Conteh and Sallieu Johnson has appeared before Magistrate Sahr Keikura of Court No 1 in Freetown on the 26th May, 2021 at the Pademba road Court in a matter of defraud and obtaining money by fraud contrary to the Laws of Sierra Leone.
According to police charged sheets, the accused persons are charged with two counts. It’s alleged in count one that the accused persons on the 4th September, 2020 at Ibrahim Drive Bango Farm Goderich, Freetown with intent to defraud, conspired together to defraud Ibrahim Kamara the sum of three thousand nine hundred United States Dollar ($3,900) equivalent to forty million Leones (Le40,000,000/00) from Ibrahim Kamara by means of fraud.
It’s alleged in count two that the accused persons on the 4th September, 2020 at Ibrahim Drive Bango Farm Goderich, Freetown with intent to obtaining money by fraud other than false pretense, defrauded Ibrahim Kamara the sum of three thousand nine hundred United States Dollar ($3,900) equivalent to forty million Leones (Le40,000,000/00).
Mohamed Kamara a business man testified against the two accused persons at Court No.1 pademba Road Freetown. He said he knew first accused person through the second accused person as his friend.
The Witness said he can recall on the 4th September, 2020 when the second accused person came at their compound when the complainant Ibrahim Kamara said that his brother has send the sum of three thousand nine hundred United States Dollar ($3,900) equivalent to forty million Leones (Le40, 000,000/00) for him and he needs to change the money to Leones.
The Witness said the second accused called the first accused person to come and change the money.
Mr. Kamara continued to say that he and the second accused person went to receive the first accused person at Emergency junction as the first accused person descended from his car. He said that the second accused person said let me drove the car as the road to the complainant is rough. He continued to say that the second accused person drove the car with registration number ACQ 954.
Mr. Kamara said the second accused person was holding brown Ghana must go bag, upon arrival in the compound the complainant remove the dollars and handed to the second accused person for the first accused person to change the dollars into Leones.
He said the first accused person initially said the accused person told him about one thousand dollars and now it is over three thousand dollars. The witness said the first and second accused persons live the car and took a motor bike to collect the remaining Leones. The Witness said later in the evening the second accused person called them and said he has lost his mother and since we and the second accused person are in one WhatsApp group he called to confirm and he discovered it was a lie. Witness said him and the complainant went to the Lumley Police station to make statement. He said after a week he saw the first accused person with police officers that the complainant have stolen his vehicle and he informed the police officer who is dealing with the matter regarding what has transpired between the first and second accused persons. He said later he was informed that the second accused person has been arrested.
The State prosecutor prosecuting the matter is Inspector I.G Fofanah while their lawyer was absent. However, both accused persons are on bail and the matter has been adjourned to the 7th June, 2021.