By: Audrey Raymonda John
On Wednesday, 4th June 2025, Emmanuel Mannah, the Director General of the Sierra Leone Water Regulatory Agency, testified before Magistrate Mustapha Brima Jah at Pademba Road Court No. 1 in a case of alleged fraud involving Christian Paul Fama.
The accused, Christian Paul Fama, is charged with one count of obtaining money by false pretenses, contrary to Section 32(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916. He allegedly defrauded Mr. Mannah of eighty-one thousand new Leones (NLe 81,000) under the pretense of repairing his Mercedes Benz GL450, registration number AXI 424, between October and November 2024.
In his testimony, Director General Mannah identified the accused in the dock and stated that he became acquainted with him through his driver. He recounted that sometime between October and November 2024, his Belgium-imported Mercedes Benz required repairs. Upon his driver’s recommendation, he contacted the accused, who claimed to be a professional mechanic.
Mr. Mannah said he met the accused at Pademba Road, where he explained the vehicle’s issues. The accused initially demanded Le 1,000 (new Leones) for transportation to collect the car from Mannah’s residence, which the witness provided.
He further explained that on 27th October 2024, the accused billed him Le 40,000 as labor cost. Although Mannah attempted to negotiate the price, the accused insisted it was non-negotiable. The amount was subsequently given to the accused through the driver.
Three weeks later, Mr. Mannah followed up, but the accused requested more time to complete the repairs. By December 2024, needing the vehicle urgently, Mr. Mannah contacted the accused again, who then requested an additional $1,800. After negotiation, they agreed on $1,500, which was paid, bringing the total to NLe 81,000.
According to Mr. Mannah, once the accused claimed the vehicle was ready, he and his driver took it for a test drive towards the Guinea border. However, the car broke down at Jui, prompting them to call the accused via video call for guidance. Despite his instructions, the problem persisted, and the accused was asked to meet them at the location.
Upon examining the vehicle, the accused acknowledged a fault and took back the car. However, the vehicle remained unrepaired by the following Monday. At that point, Mr. Mannah reported the matter to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for further action.
The witness was cross-examined by Defense Counsel Bawoh, after which Magistrate Jah adjourned the matter to 11th June 2025 for continuation of proceedings.
The case has garnered public interest, as it involves a senior public official and a substantial financial loss tied to alleged fraudulent vehicle repairs.