By Alimatu Jalloh
Freetown, Sierra Leone – The ongoing fraud case involving six individuals accused of defrauding Orange Mobile Finance Limited took a new turn yesterday, as the company’s Head of Finance, Alhaji Thorley, testified before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at Magistrate Court No. 2 on Pademba Road.
Thorley, who oversees payments and financial monitoring for the company, recounted events from March 25, 2025, when he was alerted by his assistant, Josephine Conteh, regarding irregularities in her Access Bank account. She reported that her account balance was unexpectedly depleted. Upon further investigation, Thorley discovered that the corresponding Orange Money wallet account was also empty, raising suspicions of fraudulent transactions.
Working alongside the Head of Operations, Thorley traced the discrepancies to a mobile number registered to the first accused, Yusuf Turay. Further scrutiny revealed multiple transactions had been moved from Orange Money into Turay’s personal bank account. The findings were subsequently presented to the company’s CEO, who accompanied Thorley to Access Bank for verification.
Following these discoveries, authorities moved swiftly, leading to the court appearance of six accused persons: businessman Yusuf Turay, agent Ibrahim Thullah, businessmen Ishmael Nat Thomas, Hassan Gibrill Kargbo, Alhaji Santigie Sesay, and Sheriff Osman Sankoh. They face three charges, including conspiracy to defraud and larceny by servant, pursuant to Section 17 (1)(a) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to court documents, between March 24 and 25, 2025, the accused allegedly conspired to defraud Orange Mobile Finance Limited of Nineteen Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Eight Thousand, Three Hundred and Sixty Leones (Le 19,878,360) through fraudulent transactions conducted across various Access Bank branches in Freetown.
Additionally, they are accused of utilizing Orange Money wallet-to-bank transaction platforms to steal the same amount from an account operated by the company. Transactions linked to Rotifunk, Lungi, and Kaffu Bullom Chiefdom in the Port Loko District are also under scrutiny.
The prosecution, represented by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Wellington, requested an adjournment, which Magistrate Bangura granted. The case is set to resume for further hearing.