By Mamajah Jalloh
Freetown, Sierra Leon, six accused persons on Thursday, 31st November, 2024 made another appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No 2 on one count charge of Conspiracy to defraud contrary to law. The accused include Sheku Kamara, alias Publish, student, Saio Foday Jalloh, Business/student, Ansuman Marrah, student, Samuel Mansaray, student/business, Mohamed Musa Kamara, business,
According to the particulars of offence, on date unknown between January and April 2024, in Makeni in Bombali Shebora Chiefdom in the Northern Judicial District in Northern Province in the Republic of Sierra Leone with intent to defraud, conspired together with other persons unknown and defrauded Best New Bank Company a total sum of Five Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety-Thousand Three Hundred and Sixty-Three Leones (5,890,363).
The persecutor, Assistant Commission of Police (ACP) Joan Bull, sought for a short date to have a proper interrogation with her witness
The Defense Council M K. Koroma, for the accused person asked for a bail and stated that the accused are Sierra Leone and students. He revealed that they have a reliable surety and would not interfere with prosecution witness or witnesses nor will they jump bail. MK. Koroma made his application pursuant to section 79 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Act No 32 of 1965.
The first Prosecution witness Alpha Jalloh who worked for Maintenance Company PNB testified that he knows the accused persons therein through this matter as they were working for an agency. He recalled that on the 17th April 2024 their compliance department submitted a report to management in which caution transactions were flagged to have been paid and collected by some agent. Alpha noted that after receiving the report they travelled to province as most of the incidents occurred in the north.
He maintained that the report shown that the accused persons as parts created codes for picking up the money they used in their transactions form Vista and UTB bank. Alpha added that they collected the moneys after collecting they cancelled the transactions for which they had collected the money for. He echoed that the money was then refund back to the accused. He furthered that on the 18th April 2024 the management team traveled to Makeni and reported the matter to the police station.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Bangura refused bail considering the accused persons were all coming all the way from Makeni as it will be very difficult to grant them bail and sent them to the Male Correctional Facility.
However, the case has been adjourned to 5th of November, 2024, for further proceedings.
