By Janet A. Sesay
The Defence in the ongoing alleged gold fraud case involving Admire Frances Bio Jalloh and her husband, Dauda Jalloh, suffered a setback on Thursday, 16th July, 2026 when the court ruled that the Defence’s notice to cross-examine Prosecution Witnesses was filed under the wrong provision of the law.
The matter is before Principal Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah at Pademba Road Court No. 1 in Freetown.
When the case was called, State Counsel, Yusuf Isaac Sesay informed the court that the notice of cross-examination filed by Defence Counsel, Melron Nicole Wilson on 8th July, 2026 was not properly grounded in law.
He argued that the Defence relied on Section 112(c)(i) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 2024, a provision that does not govern the application they sought to make before the court.
In response, Defence Counsel Wilson admitted that the citation was a typographical error and assured the court that it would be corrected.
In his ruling, Magistrate Jah agreed that the legal provision cited by the defence was inappropriate for the purpose of seeking leave to cross-examine the prosecution witnesses.
However, in the interest of fairness and justice, he granted the defence an opportunity to file a fresh notice under the correct provision of the Criminal Procedure Act, 2024.
The matter was therefore adjourned to 23rd July, 2026 for further proceedings.
According to the indictment, the Defendants face eleven counts, including conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretences, conspiracy to rob, money laundering, receiving money on a forged document, altering forged documents, selling minerals without legal permission, and tax evasion.
The Prosecution alleges that between the 10th and 14th August, 2025, the Defendants conspired with persons unknown to defraud Fanni Giuseppe and Alfio Siracusa of US$210,000 by falsely representing that they operated a legitimate gold trading business.
The indictment further alleges that the accused fraudulently obtained US$100,000 from the complainants after claiming that GAN Minerals Sierra Leone Limited was a genuine and duly licensed company authorised to sell three kilograms of gold.
The Prosecution further alleges that the defendants subsequently obtained an additional US$110,000 from the complainants in connection with the same transaction, as well as a further US$15,000, purportedly to cover exportation taxes for the three kilograms of gold.
The indictment also alleges that on 13th August, 2025 at Milton Margai College Drive, Goderich, the Defendants conspired with other persons unknown to rob the complainants of three kilograms of gold valued at US$210,000.
The Prosecution further alleges that the Defendants knowingly possessed proceeds of crime amounting to US$100,000, received US$210,000 through the use of a forged receipt purportedly issued by GAN Minerals Sierra Leone Limited, uttered forged payment invoices with intent to defraud, unlawfully sold three kilograms of gold without the requisite legal authority, and willfully evaded taxes payable on the transaction under the business name GAN Minerals Sierra Leone Limited.