By Abass Jalloh
Magistrate Ngegba of Pademba Road Court No. 1 in Freetown has granted a two million Leone (NLe 2,000,000) bail to Marcella Sesay who was accused of defrauding Charles Theodor Bonney Taylor, a US Navy personnel, the sum of one hundred and eleven thousand seven hundred and fifty Dollars ($ 111,750) which is equivalent to one billion six hundred and forty-eight million three hundred and twelve thousand five hundred old Leones (OLe 1,648,312,500).
The bail conditions include a surety of a 40-year-old Sierra Leonean employed in a recognized institution, a property valued not less than five hundred thousand Leones (NLe 500,000), and a valuation certificate.
The accused, Sesay, on Monday 26 September appeared before the court to answer for a count of Fraudulent Conversion.
Court records show that between 23rd May 2019 and 19th April 2022, Sesay fraudulently converted to her own use and benefit certain property that is equivalent to or worth the stated amount.
Led by prosecutor Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ibrahim S. Mansaray, the complainant, Taylor, who is a Sierra Leonean based in the United States of America (USA), testified how he was allegedly defrauded “over 100,000 Dollars” by the accused, saying he recognized her when he was residing in Freetown.
Taylor recalled between the stated dates while he was in the USA, sending money to Sesay for the purpose of a building project located at Hamilton in the west part of Freetown. He said during this time the building was at the foundation stage.
The first transaction was done through Western Union on separate occasions in 2019, the complainant disclosed.
He said in 2020 he sent another sum of money through Western Union and Money Gram and that in 2021 a transaction was done through his account in the US to the accused's dollar account in Freetown, adding that another transaction also transpired between him and the accused.
The complainant revealed that he later knew that the project was “not moving” and that the accused had earlier assured him of sending videos of the ongoing construction.
At this juncture, ASP Mansaray sought an adjournment in order for the complainant to avail the said videos in court to form part of the evidence.
The matter continues on the 10th of October 2022.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (28/09/22)
