By Alimatu Jalloh
Doctor Brima Sesay a District Medical Officer Northern, was on Friday July 14th 2023, arraigned for the Crime of Fraudulent Conversion before Magistrate Isata Sellu Tucker of Court No 2. Pademba Road, Freetown, for allegedly duping a Sierra Leonean US Citizen thousands of dollars and several items and fail to pay her.
The first witness for the prosecution, Mariama Kamara, was led in evidence by in Hindolo Moiwo Gevao She started by identifying herself as Mariama Kamara ordinarily resident in The United States of America, a US citizen and a nurse by profession, and informed the court that she knows the defendant Doctor Brima Sesay.
She recalled that on the 5th to the 31st of March 2022, and also 11th September 2022, while she was living in the United States, through her sister with her sister Khadija, who also works with the defendant, she got to know the defendant when Khadijah gave her through her after she gave her his telephone number.
She said the defendant reached out to Doctor Brima with the view to having a stable romantic relationship.
She added that soon after Doctor Brima requested for her to give him $ 500 US as he wanted to buy some provisions.
The witness furthered that she gave the money to Khadija and the defendant picked it up at her residence at Hill Cut.
The witness also said, the defendant asked for loan in the sum of US$ 200 dollars as he wanted to open a dollar account which she did.
She disclosed that she gave a written order to her bank for Le 57,000,000 which the bank deposited the money in the defendant’s account.
Kamara continued that the defendant asked for another sum of Le 10,000,000 to buy tickets for his brother to travel and another Le 2,000,000 for his mother. .
She added that when she was about to travel ton Sierra Leone, upon request from the accused buy apple products which she bought apple 13, apple computer, apple watch, apple air pod, air back pack and apple ipad and gave all to the accused which summed up to US $ 15,000,000.
She told the court that the defendant promised to pay back.
The witness furthered that she shipped a 55 inches smart television, 28 inches smart tv, 2 fridges, provisions and toiletries adding that the items were delivered at the defendant’s residence at Wellington in , Freetown.
She said that she also shipped a barrel full of men’s shirt, belt, perfume and other male apparels for business, which cost her US$ 30,000 to deliver.
“When I arrived in Sierra Leone, I instructed the defendant to open the barrel as I wanted to give some items to my family members and I instructed him to take the rest to my residence at Hill Cut, but he did not,” the witness explained, adding that she did not give him any item out of her free will.
She told the Court that she has not received any money from the loan or the items Doctor Brima took from her.
At the end of Kamara’s examination in chief defense Counsel UDF Sesay Esq. cross examined the witness, and applied for Doctor Brima to be admitted to bail, but the complainant lawyer H. M. Gevao told the Magistrate that she had heard the evidence noting that it is the discretion of the bench to grant bail or not.
However the Presiding Magistrate admitted the accused to bail, adding that if the defendant took anything from the complainant he should return them.
In that light the defendant told the Court that he was ready and willing to return the items whiles Magistrate Tucker said she is holding the balance and that both lawyers should meet to settle the matter.
Magistrate Tucker however admitted the accused to bail in the sum of Le 50,000 new leones. two sureties, and both sureties must be employed and approve by Deputy Administrator and Registrar. The matter comes up next on the 24th of July 2023.