By Hassan Osman Kargbo
Prominent businessman Jihad Swaid has publicly refuted allegations linking him and his son, Hady Swaid, to a purported fraudulent gold transaction involving Dr. Aruna Sree Sana and Mr. George Slim Ganda of Est. Miners Co. SL Ltd. In a strongly worded statement dated October 27, 2025, Swaid dismissed the claims circulating on social media as entirely false, misleading, and damaging to his reputation.
According to the statement, neither he nor his son was parties to the gold trading contract between Dr. Sana and Mr. Ganda, nor did they receive any funds related to the deal. Swaid explained that the allegations appear to stem from a misunderstanding of his son’s limited role in the transaction.
He recounted that Dr. Sana had initially approached his son, who was then a university student on holiday in Sierra Leone, to assist her in purchasing gold. As part of that arrangement, Dr. Sana offered him a 20 percent share of the expected profits through a written agreement with Mr. Ganda. Swaid clarified that his son only acted as a witness to the deal and later extended a personal loan of 18,000 US dollars to Dr. Sana to help her complete her payment obligations.
Swaid emphasized that the loan was properly documented, with Dr. Sana signing a written commitment to repay within two weeks, a promise she has not fulfilled to date. “All payments made by Dr. Sana were sent directly to Mr. Ganda, as stipulated in their agreement. Neither I nor my son received any portion of those funds,” he stated.
He also clarified that neither he nor his son served as guarantors in the transaction, nor did they have any prior personal or business relationship with Mr. Ganda.
In May 2025, Dr. Sana, through her legal representatives, allegedly repeated the same accusations and filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Swaid said he responded through his solicitors, submitting a full written statement denying any involvement in fraud or conspiracy.
He further claimed that Dr. Sana’s continued allegations were part of an attempt to extort additional money from his son, citing a “threatening text message” she allegedly sent, which his son chose to ignore.
While expressing sympathy for Dr. Sana’s financial losses in her gold dealings, Swaid maintained that her dispute with Mr. Ganda remains entirely private and has no connection to him or his family. He noted that although his family has exercised restraint by not taking legal action over the unpaid loan, they reserve the right to pursue repayment and damages if the defamatory claims persist.
“I urge the public to disregard any misleading or defamatory statements concerning myself, my family, or my business operations,” Swaid stated. He reaffirmed his commitment to lawful and ethical business practices, emphasizing his long-standing record of compliance and integrity in Sierra Leone.
For all media inquiries and legal correspondence, Swaid directed communication to his lawyers at Marrah & Associates, located at 35 Jones Street, Freetown.
