By Francis H. Murray
Independent Member of Parliament Hon. Emilia Lolo Tongi of Constituency 001 in Kailahun district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone testified before Magistrate Hannah Bonnie in Freetown on Wednesday 24 June, claiming she was duped the sum of Le 50 million by one Tejan Conteh.
Hon. Tongi in her testimony recognized the accused and recalled that on Monday 11 May this year, she and her nephew Staff Sergeant Norman went in search of a Tipper truck to buy at Levuma Beach Goderich where they met the accused who told them he had one for sale.
She said she then instructed her nephew and her security guard to go and examine the vehicle which they did and reported to her that the vehicle was in good working order.
The witness said: ‘‘on Monday 11 May 2020, myself, the accused and my nephew went to the FI Bank where I withdrew the sum of Le70 million and placed Le50 million in a bag belonging to the accused and the remaining Le20 million was put into my nephew’s bag and then I went into my vehicle and drove to Kissy where he (the accused) said the vehicle was.’’
She said on arrival at Kissy the accused offered her a chair and then said he was going to bring her a receipt, adding that whiles she waited together with her nephew and security guard, the accused disappeared with her Le50 million.
She said she immediately reported the matter to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters and the accused was arrested in Makeni.
The witness continued that after the accused was arrested and brought to the CID, he returned the sum of Le10 million only and had since not returned the balance. She said during the course of the investigation she realized that the vehicle didn’t belong to the accused.
The accused, Tejan Conteh who the police say is also facing similar fraud charges before the same court was arraigned on one count of obtaining money by false pretenses contrary to section 32(1) of the larceny act 1916.
The charge statement allege that the accused obtained Le 50 million from the Hon. Emilia Lolo Tongi with intent to defraud her on the pretext of having one Mercedes Benz Truck vehicle for sale knowing same to be false.
Magistrate Hannah Bonnie remanded the accused in custody and adjourned the case to 1st July this year.
The prosecutor is Assistant Superintendent of Police Ibrahim Sheikh Mansaray and lawyer I. Macfoy is defending the accused.
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