By Janet A. Sesay
A businessman who identifies himself as Ibrahim Boima on Monday, 9th February, 2026 made his first appearance before Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah of Pademba Road Court No.1 in Freetown on fifty-four (54) counts of alleged fraud and forgery of the bank account of Greater Evangelism World Crusade lodged at the Vista Bank Sierra Leone Limited.
The charges included forty-eight (48) counts of larceny, contrary to Section 2 of the Larceny Act of 1916, three (3) counts of forgery, contrary to Section 4(1) of the Forgery Act of 1913, and three (3) counts of uttering forged documents, contrary to Section 6(1)(2) of the Forgery Act of 1913.
According to the particulars of offence, on Tuesday, 3rd January, 2023, at the Vista Bank Head Office on 2 Charlotte Street in Freetown, the defendant allegedly stole the sum of Three Thousand, Five Hundred Leones (Le 3,500) from the Greater Evangelism World Crusade bank account lodged at the said bank.
Count two further stated that on the 4th January, 2023, at the same bank, the defendant allegedly stole Nine Thousand and Fifty Leones (Le 9,050) from the same account.
Counts three to seven stated that between 1st March and 13th April, 2023, the defendant allegedly stole Seventy-One Thousand Leones (Le 71,000) from the same account, while counts eight to twenty-one (8-21) stated that between 1st June and 31st August, 2023, the defendant allegedly stole One Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Three Hundred Leones (Le 180,300) from the same account.
Counts twenty-two to forty-eight stated that between 31st August 2023 and 27th October, 2025, the defendant allegedly stole One Hundred and Thirty-One Thousand, Six Hundred and Thirty Leones (Le 131,630) also from the same account and counts forty-nine to fifty-one stated that between 1st and 31st July, 2025 at the same bank, the defendant, with intent to defraud, forged documents, namely a letter requesting change of signatories to the main account dated 9th July, 2025 in the name of Greater Evangelism World Crusade, purporting that it was prepared and signed by the Church Secretary, Patrick Amara; and counts fifty-two to fifty-three stated that on the same date, 9th July, 2025 and at the same Vista Bank head office in Freetown, the defendant, with intent to defraud, uttered the forged letter of request for change of signatories, knowing same to have been forged.
Count fifty-four further stated that on the same date and place, the defendant, with intent to defraud, uttered a forged minute of a meeting dated 9th July, 2025 in the name of Greater Evangelism World Crusade, knowing same to have been forged.
When the charges were read and explained to the defendant, no plea was taken.
The Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Tommy B. Zizer Esq. informed the court that pursuant to Section 98(1) and Section 113 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2024, the prosecution had formally served the defence with the case file.
Defence Counsel, J. Kamara Esq. acknowledged receipt responding that he would conduct proper research on witnesses he intended to call. He went on to apply for bail on behalf of the defendant pursuant to Section 76(1) and (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 8 of 2024, arguing that the defendant is a Sierra Leonean resident within the court’s jurisdiction and with a fixed address which according him, guarantees him as not a flight risk, and that he is a recognized member of the Greater Evangelism World Crusade Church, and has reliable sureties willing to enter into recognisance on his behalf.
Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah however refused bail, pointing that the defendant is facing fifty-four serious criminal financial charges and ordered that the he be remanded in custody at the Male Correctional Facility at Pademba Road in Freetown and the matter adjourned to 16th February 2026 for further proceedings.