Mohamed Lamin Kamara a business man has explained his ordeal how he was duped the sum of Four Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars for a travelling programme to Australia.
Led in his examination in chief by Assistant Superintendent of Police Osman Mohamed Bangura, the complainant Mohamed Lamin Kamara admitted knowing the accused through a WhatsApp group called ‘All Business Travel’ and on seeing it he enquired from the accused who told him the group is a platform for people who want to travel abroad.
The complainant said he questioned him as to which countries they are catering for and the accused told him they are doing for Europe and America.
“I asked him how we can see and communication but he told me that he is in Senegal to pick up passport but will connect me to his co-workers”, complainant said, and furthered that he told the accused that he will not deal with third party, but when he come they will do the transaction.
He said he was waiting for the accused when he got a phone call that he should go and meet him at Lungi. On arrival at Lungi, complainant said he called the accused who directed him to his house at Port Loko Road and there the accused took him to his room and introduced him to two men whom he alleged are his uncles.
There, complainant said he asked the accused about the programme and later suggested he want to go to Australia. He said the accused told him that he should pay the sum of Three Thousand Five Hundred United State Dollars excluding air ticket.
“I negotiate with him and he end up accepting the sum of Two Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars”, he stated.
Complainant said he asked the accused how he should pay the money and he said he should start paying the sum of one thousand united state dollars which he told him was not in his possession and further asked him to come and collect it in Freetown.
Complainant said the following day the accused came at his resident at No. 8 Sandy Lane Wellington and he gave him the sum of five hundred united state dollars plus the sum of ten million seventy five thousand Leone for the purpose to issuing a visa to his brother in Australia.
He said few weeks later, the accused told him that the electronic visa is available and that he should prepare the balance of one thousand five hundred united state dollars when he is going to check it.
Complainant said at Lungi the accused called someone who he alleged use to check electronic visas for him. He said they went and print the hard copy of the visa.
Copy of the printed electronic visas was shown to the accused for perusal and tendered by the prosecutor to build his case
He said they then went to the man he said is checking the visa and paid the sum of three hundred thousand Leones after negotiating to check it.
Complainant said the visa was never checked by the man he paid and the accused used his phone to check it and told him it is authentic. He said the accused requested for the balance of one thousand five hundred united state dollars which he gave to him in the presence of his brother Mohamed Kabay.
In continuation of his examination in chief, complainant said the accused told him to go and buy the ticket at Ecowas street in sum of two thousand seven hundred and fifty united state dollars.
Complainant produced copy of the ticket he bought which the accused said he doesn’t know anything about it. It was tendered as exhibits B one to two.
” I informed him that I have bought the ticket and my brother suppose to travel.on the 2nd of April 2023 from Lungi to Australia and the accused promised to go and board him”, he stated.
Calculating the money spent so far, complainant said the total was four thousand seven hundred and fifty united state dollars plus ten million seventy five thousand Leone all equivalent to one hundred and nineteen million three hundred and twenty five thousand old Leones.
Complainant said three day before his brother should take off, he called the accused to no avail.
” On the 2nd of April, 2023 I went to escort my brother at Lungi International Airport where they to me the visa is fake”, complainant explained. He said they return back to Freetown and in June the accused messaged him and he used tactics to get him by telling him that his brother has gone and two other people including his sister are interested.
Complainant said the accused asked whether if he is sure that his brother has gone and to ascertain that he sent photos of his brother to him.
“My lord the accused requested for the number of my brother, but I told him that he did not settle yet”, complainant said.
He said the accused asked him to take the passports of the three people he told them are interested and give the deposit to his brother.
“I told him am not dealing with third party and he told me to send transport for him to come to Freetown, a request I honoured”. He said he immediately went to Kissy Police Station and reported the matter. The complainant said the accused called him around ten at night and they were going home when he was finally arrested.
He was later asked to make a statement about the alleged incident.
Testing the evidence in cross examination by the accused, the complainant confirmed his name as Mohamed Lamin Kamara. The complainant confirmed giving him the money at his home witnessed by a third party.
The complainant also confirmed that the visa was checked by the accused himself. The complainant read the information on the fake visa and in a question put to him by the accused, he said he bought the ticket to the person he sent him to.
The complainant also confirmed that the amount he told the court was what was transacted.
At the end of cross examination, Magistrate Kekura refused the accused bail and adjourned the matter to the 9 of August 2023 for the next witness to be docked.
