By Janet A. Sesay
Ishmael Hortons former Card Operator at Eco bank has been dragged to court by the bank for allegedly stealing over Nine Hundred Thousand New Leones (NLe 900,000) from the bank.
Ishmael Hortons Jalloh made his second appearance on Wednesday 10 September 2025 before Magistrate John Manso Fornah of Pademba Road Court No.2.
He is arraigned before the court on a count charge of Larceny by Servant Contrary to Section 17 (1) (a) of the Larceny Act 1916.
The charge sheet indicated that the accused on dates between 5th September, 2022 and November, 2024, at Ecobank Head Office in Freetown, being a Card Operations Officer employed by the Ecobank stole the sum of Nine Hundred and Eighty One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Eighty Leones Thirty Eight Cents (Le 981,268.38) from Ecobank General Ledger and deposited into Car Tech Account Number: 6340005879 of a customer and was withdrawn upon his instructions property of the Bank.
In his testimony, Osman David Kamara said he is a Banker working at Eco bank and he is Head of Internal Audit.
He said his roles include conducting independent and objective activities in the form of audits and investigations on behalf of the bank, to evaluate recruitment operations, risk management, corporate governance and internal controls.
He recognized the accused as a former staff working for the bank and that he was the ATM Card Operation Head at the bank.
At this juncture, the Prosecution ASP Dalia Wellington sought for an adjournment to properly interview the witness. The accused is on bail and the matter was adjourned to the 19th September, 2025 for continuation.