A fly-by-night Italian investor, Giovanni Berardi, has over the years gained notoriety for sneaking out of guest houses and hotels after accumulating mouth-watering debts for services he would feign to settle the bills.
The Italian Mafioso had for the umpteenth time hoodwinked hoteliers and guest house proprietors into believing that he is a very successful Italian investor, thereby hiding his true identity as a celebrated Italian hustler with no financial pedigree for any credible investment.
In-depth investigation by this medium revealed that sometime in early 2000, Giovanni Berardi booked an executive suite at Jay’s Guesthouse in the west of Freetown, owned by one Mr. Jalloh.
During his stay at the guesthouse, the Italian rogue accumulated US$30,000.00 (Thirty thousand United States Dollars) debt and was financially handicapped to foot his bills and as a result, Giovanni Berardi disappeared into thin air.
The Italian self-styled investor, according to inside sources, escaped from Jay’s Guesthouse during the odd hours and after several efforts by the proprietor to have Giovanni Berardi arrested in order to honour his debt, Mr. Jalloh later learnt that the Italian rogue was in hiding somewhere in neighbouring Liberia.
On his return to Sierra Leone after three years in hibernation in Liberia, the self-acclaimed investor, who has perfected himself in dishonesty and deceitfulness, decided to prey on another unsuspecting victim and this time, it is the Management of Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel at Aberdeen, Freetown.
This medium can authoritatively reveal that very recently, the Management of Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel made a formal report at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters against Giovanni Berardi for leaving the hotel unceremoniously after he had incurred about US$89,000.00 (Eighty-nine thousand United States Dollars) debt, which is equivalent to Le890, 000,000 (Eighty-nine million Leones) on the pretext that he was expecting a whopping sum of US$2million from his vain imagination and unfortunately, the hotel management took the bait hook, line and sinker.
However, what has baffled many concerned Sierra Leoneans following the incident is the protection of the so-called Italian investor by some invisible hands in the current Bio administration from whom much is expected, given the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) government’s pronouncement to attract real genuine investors abroad to invest in the country to boost the national economy by creating more job opportunities for young people, most of whom are un-employed.
When Giovanni Berardi recently escaped from Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel after he had incurred the huge debt like he did at Jay’s Guesthouse years back, the hotel management made several efforts to locate him.
The Italian rogue was finally found in a hideout somewhere around Aberdeen and when the hotel management made a follow-up by informing the CID Headquarters about his current rendezvous so that he could be arrested and brought to book, the CID Director, Chief Superintendent J.M. Tommy continued to drag his feet over the matter.
Sources at Radisson Blu intimated this medium that despite the fact that hotel management has reported a genuine case to the CID Headquarters in order to retrieve its money from the rogue Giovanni Berardi, CSP Tommy is very reluctant to pursue the matter because of ‘orders from above.’
The sources furthered that though the CID boss has been shown the residence where the Italian hustler currently resides, he has neither invited him to the CID Headquarters for questioning, nor has he ordered his detectives to apprehend and obtain a statement from him with regards his failure to settle the Le890million bill he owed at Radisson Blu.
“Despite this rogue investor has nothing to offer this country that is in dire need of genuine, credible investors to boost our national economy in this trying times, there are government officials in high places still protecting him because he has made vague promises he definitely would never fulfill until the cows come home,” one of the sources fumed.
One of Giovani’s godfathers in the Bio administration, according to reliable sources, is a very prominent politician cum seasoned administrator.
This medium is investigating and will soon unveil that so-called big man using State House to protect an Italian conman.
It could be recalled that the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) is the majority shareholder of Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel, which means anyone that dupes the hotel has duped the hundreds of thousands of people contributing to the Trust Fund.
That’s why Giovanni Berardi must be pursued until he coughs up the huge debt he owes the hotel.
Italian Rogue Leaves Le890M Debt at Radisson Blu
