Last Friday 22 September 2023 Magistrate Sahr Kekura of the Ross Road Court No.1 blamed Sierra Leone Police personnel for failing to charge the complainant, Ibrahim Taylor to court for alleged money doubling.
“I wondered why the police didn’t charge the complainant to court for money doubling. Because he gave the said amount to the accused for him to charge from Sierra Leone’s currency to America dollar that’s money doubling,” Magistrate Kekura said.
He stated police ought to have charged the complainant to court for money doubling, but they failed to do so.
The police charged the accused, Alhaji Lamin Sankoh obtained ten thousand leones from the complainant, Ibrahim Taylor on the pretext that he would change to four hundred and fifty ($450) United States Dollars knowing same to be false.
The accused Alhaji Lamin Sankoh is before the court for the offences conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretenses contrary to law.
Police say the accused, on Tuesday 12 September, 2023 at No. 50 Bai Bureh Road Kissy, Freetown, obtained NLe10,000 from the complainant with a promise that he would change it USD knowing same to be false.
When the charges were read and explained the accused no plea was taken being that it is preliminary investigations.
Before granting the accused bail, Magistrate Kekura said “he who comes with equity, must come with cleaned hands”.
Magistrate Kekura was left with no option but granted the accused forty (NLe40,000) thousand bail with a surety.
The surety according Magistrate Kekura, should furnish the court identification card and should reside in Freetown.
Bail should be approved by the Deputy Master and Registrar.
The matter was adjourned to 2 November 2023 for further hearing.
