By Musa Paul Feika
Chief Unisa Timbo, a section chief in the Karene District, has made his third appearances before Magistrate Hannah Bonnie of Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.1 for allegedly obtaining goods by false pretences, which is contrary to section 32 (1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
Abu Bakar Barrie, a firsthand witness and also the complainant, has testified in court, stating that he recognises the accused during a funereal ceremony of his big sister in Allen Town, east of Freetown.
The witness said he could recall Wednesday the 12th December 2018. He said while the funeral ceremony was going on, the accused met him and told him to loan him some money. But he told the accused that he had run out of money and disclosed that he had a Pathfinder vehicle, registration No ANM 555, for sale.
The witness said the accused asked to see the vehicle and told him that he wanted it.
According to the witness, he charged the accused six hundred thousand United States dollars (US600,000), which the accused begged to pay five hundred United States dollars (US500,000), which he agreed.
Mr. Barrie told the court that, on January 2019, after the funeral ceremony was over, the accused could not fulfill his promise. He said the accused was later arrested and brought at the CID headquarters, Pademba Road Freetown.
He continued that, while at the CID, the accused was granted bail and vowed to pay the money on February 2019.
Mohamed Sankoh, PW II, said that he recognises the accused regarding the matter and could recall the same day in question.
He said he was at Skye Street in Freetown when he received a call from the complainant, who told him that he had sent the accused to him to collect the vehicle. The witness continued that the accused and the complainant’s brother arrived at the scene and the vehicle was handed over to him, which he took along.
Mr. Sankoh furthered that, on January 2019, the complainant called and disclosed to him that the accused has not paid the money.
Pa Issa Sesay, PW III and also a father-in-law to the accused, told the court that he recognises the accused as a father-in-law and could recall the same day in question. He said himself and the accused were attending a funeral ceremony at Allen Town, where the accused later met the complainant and asked him to loan him some money. But the complainant told him that he had no money except his Pathfinder vehicle, which is for sale.
The witness said the accused told the complainant that he wanted the vehicle and both of them went into a transaction, following which the said vehicle was given to the accused.
Mr. Sesay said after the accused failed to pay the complainant’s money, himself and the complainant went to the accused residence in Goderich Freetown.
He said when they arrived at his residence, he advised him to return the vehicle back to the owner if he could not pay the money. The witness said that the accused still held to his promise that he could pay the money.
According to the witness, the accused disclosed to the complainant at his residence that he had spent five thousand United States dollars on the vehicle for maintenance. The accused told the complainant that he was only going to pay four thousand five hundred United States dollars, to which he agreed.
The witness continued that, after the agreement to pay the balance money on February 2019, the accused was nowhere to be found until himself and police officers went to Kamakwie and arrested the accused, who was later brought to the CID headquarters at Pademba Road in Freetown.
The accused is before the court on one count charge of obtaining good by false pretences, which is contrary to section 32(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
The police file sheet indicates that Chief Unisa Timbo, on Wednesday the 12th October 2018 at Skye Street Freetown, with intent to defraud, obtained certain a black jeep with registration No. ANM 555, which is valued at four thousand United States dollars. The black jeep is the property of Abu Bakar Barrie, but the accused falsely pretended that he had money to pay, knowing same to be false.
The accused is still on bail, while the matter was adjourned to the 3rd June, 2019.