By Fatima Kpaka
Ade Idris, a businessman, was on Tuesday, May 16 2023 sent to prison by Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba Road Court No1 for an alleged gold dust fraud.
The accused made his first appearance in court and was arraigned on two counts of conspiracy to defraud contrary to law and obtaining money by false pretenses contrary to section 32 (1) of The Larceny Act, 1916.
The chargesheet indicates that the accused between January 1, 2020 and April 25,2023 in Freetown, the accused obtained the sum of US$164,500 (one hundred and sixty- four thousand, five hundred United States dollars) from Stephen Bruce by falsely pretending that he has seventy eight (78) kilograms of gold for sale knowing same to be false.
After the charges were read and explained to the accused, he pleaded not guilty to the offense.
The prosecutor ASP Ibrahim Mansaray requested for a date to subpoena the witnesses.
The accused was unrepresented in court and so no bail application was made on his behalf. The matter comes up again on May 26, 2023 for hearing