By Fatima Kpaka
Magistrate Peter Gogra of Pademba road court No. 6 has on Friday 21st October 2022 remanded in custody Momoh Bangura and Santigie Kindo Kamara for falsely pretending that they could facilitate the travel of Foday Lahai Kamara from Sierra Leone to Canada, for which the second accused person obtained the sum of Le 24,000 from the victim.
The accused persons made their first appearance in court where they were arraigned for the crimes of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretenses.
According to the information on the police charge sheet, on May 2022 at Water Street Congo Cross in Freetown, the two conspired and obtained money by lying to the second accused, Foday Lahai Kamara that they could arrange for him to travel to Canada. The Police are also claiming that on the same date and place they intentionally defrauded the victim by collecting the sum of Le 24,000 which they took from by falsely pretending that they would facilitate his movement from Sierra Leone to Canada to pursue his studies.
Prosecution witness No: 1 Foday Lahai Kamara led in evidence by ASP Abdul Sannoh, said he is a teacher and that he recognized the first accused person as a teacher friend and the second accused person through the first accused person, sometime in May 2022.
At this stage the prosecutor requested for an adjournment to have further conference with the witness.
A.D. Achatoh applied for bail on behalf of both accused persons pursuant to section 79 (2 & 3) of the Criminal procedure Act No.32 of 1965. According to Achatoh the offences for which his clients were in court were mere allegations.
In reply to his application, Magistrate Gogra said that he wanted to hear the whole of the evidence of the witnesses before considering bail, and adjourned the matter to the 27th of October 2022 for further hearing.