By Saio Marrah
Principal Magistrate, Mark Ngegba, has remanded in prison a 49-year-old businesswoman, Mariatu Koroma of 88 Conakry Dee Road in Lungi, for fraudulently obtaining goods worth one hundred and eighty-five thousand and nine hundred new Leones (Nle 185,900) from her business partner, Adiatu Bah.
The complainant, Bah disclosed this during her testimony at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court in Freetown, on Friday 17th February 2023.
The accused faces four count charges including obtaining goods by false pretence.
She was said to have collected from the complainant 440 bags of onions and 10 cartoons of garlic totaling 250,400 (two hundred and fifty-thousand and four hundred new Leones) between 3rd and 8th December 2022, with the promise of repaying within a week.
There was an outstanding amount of NLe 185, 900(one hundred and eighty-five thousand, nine hundred new Leones) that the trader could not settle after first paying (NLe 64,500) sixty-four thousand and five hundred new Leones.
According to Bah, she came to know Koroma sometime in December last year after her delivery driver, Osman Tolo, gave her contact number to the accused person for a fishing business. Bah noted that she and Koroma initially met at the Sierra Fishing Company at Kissy DockYard, Freetown for her to be introduced by Koroma into the fishing business. Whilst at Sierra Fishing Company, Bah received a phone call and Koroma was said to have overheard a conversation about selling onions.
According to the complainant, the accused first requested from her a supply of 15 bags of onions, but the complainant pointed out that she would only supply her on condition that payment should be done within seven days, to which the accused agreed.
The 15 bags of onions, worth NLe8400 (eight thousand and four hundred) were supplied to the accused on the 3rd December 2022. Each bag cost NLe560 (five hundred and sixty).
On the 5th December, she also requested for another 300 bags of onions, but the complainant rather supplied her 260 bags.
The complainant further informed the court of supplying 10 cartoons of garlic to the accused person worth NLe 400 (four hundred) for each.
After the supply, Koroma only made NLe 45,019 (forty-five thousand, and nineteen thousand) payments to the complainant’s husband in respect of the supplies made.
Since then she said Koroma has been hiding until she was arrested on the 23rd January, 2023, at Lungi, and taken to the North West Regional Police Headquarters and then to the Criminal Investigations Department.
During the cross examination of the complainant by defence Lawyer Yusuf K.T. Mansaray, the complainant, agreed that it was the confidence she had in Koroma that prompted her to supply the goods.
Mansaray also pointed out that his client did not supply the second goods in person and that she did not also send a delivery note to the receiver of the goods to show that the accused person indeed received the goods.
But, the complainant responded by saying she sent her driver to supply the goods and that even though there was no delivery note, the accused sent a voice message acknowledging receipt of the goods.
The lawyer appealed for bail for Koroma, saying she is a Sierra Leonean, and would not interfere with witnesses.
Mansaray further made a plea saying until proven guilty one is presumed innocent and that the accused will always avail for subsequent hearing.
The bail application was not considered and the matter was adjourned to 24th Feb this year. Police Constable Harold Ballah Turay is the prosecutor of the case.
Copyright © 2023 Politico Online (21/02/23)
