By Abass Jalloh
Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Pademba Road Court No. 1 in Freetown has remanded Aruna Bangura, a miner at the Siplina Venture Limited, for allegedly defrauding Dr. Cyprian Okoro, owner of the company, properties worth over NLe150,000 (one hundred and fifty thousand Leones).
On Monday 28th November 2022, the accused, Bangura, made his first appearance to answer to charges related to Fraudulent Conversion.
The prosecution alleged that on diverse dates between 1st September 2017 and 31st October 2018 in Freetown, the accused fraudulently converted to his own use or benefit the sum of NLe174,943 (one hundred and seventy-four thousand nine hundred and forty-three Leones); on the 7th February 2019 fraudulently converted to his own use or benefit the sum of NLe21,000 (twenty-one thousand Leones); and that the accused also fraudulently converted to his own use or benefit 40 sacks of used shoes, hand bags, belts, 200 electronic cigarettes and other items worth NLe2,397 (two thousand three hundred and ninety-seven Leones); all entrusted to him by Dr. Okoro, the complainant, for the purpose of safe keeping.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Ibrahim S. Mansaray, led in Dr. Okoro as the first prosecution witness to testify.
Dr. Okoro, who is a medic, told the court that he recognized the accused in the dock, noting that from 2017 to 2019 he employed him as his company manager at the Siplina Venture Limited at 116 Old Drive, off Regent Road, Lumley, Freetown.
Dr. Okoro recalled that on diverse dates between 1st September 2017 and 31st October 2018 he sent Bangura containers, caterpillar bulldozer, drugs, and other items around December 2018.
He said later someone called him from London and informed him that there was a lot of fraud going regarding his company.
At this stage, the prosecution sought for a short adjournment date for the tendering of the transaction documents.The matter was adjourned to the 5th December 2022.
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