Sierra Leone: Two accused remanded for alleged human trafficking

Magistrate Mark Ngegba presiding at Magistrate Court No.1 on Pademba Road in Freetown, has on Tuesday January 19, 2021 remanded Alhaji Abdul Barrie and Mama Barrie. The two are alleged to have recruited and trafficked people from Guinea to Sierra Leone by fraud.

The accused persons are answering to twelve charges, ranging from conspiracy to commit human trafficking, engaging in human trafficking, conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretenses etc.

According to the Particulars of offence, the accused persons on diverse date between 1st March 2020 and 31st August 2020 conspired with other persons to traffic Ibrahim Kamara, Abdulrahman Jalloh, Abdulai Barrie and Mamadu Kamara.

It is  also alleged that the accused willfully obtained the sum of Le 8,500,000 from Ibrahim Kamara by falsely pretending that they would secure a job for him at the Queen Elizabeth 11 Quay in Freetown knowing that they do not intend to actually do so.

Furthermore, the accused persons on the same date obtained the same sum from Abdulrahman Jalloh, Abdulai Barrie and Mamadu Kamara under the same false pretext. The matter was prosecuted by I.T. Bangura, A.S.P. Mansaray and Inspector D.A. Taylor while the accused persons were not legally represented.

Magistrate Mark Ngegba adjourned the matter to Tuesday, January 26, 2021, for further hearing and sent the accused persons into remand.

By Isabella Cassell

20/01/2021. ISSUE: 7984