By Musa Paul Feika
During court proceeding, on the 6th July, 2021, at the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 2, which is presided over by Magistrate Marke Ngegba, PW 2 (Ibrahim Bangura), who is a business partner to the complainant (Francis Jonson Morrison), tendered two documents to form part of the court’s records. The said documents were purportedly prepared by the National Mineral Agency (NMA) for exporting gold from Sierra Leone to Dubai.
The ongoing matter involves Francis Wilson, who was residing at Cape Road in Aberdeen, west of Freetown.
Francis Wilson is charged for the offences of conspiracy, fraudulent conversion and other related offences, which are all contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
Led in evidence by Inspector Alhaji Tegan Bangura, PW2 (Ibrahim Bangura) told the court that he recognized the accused as well as the complainant, who are his business partners.
According to PW2, he could recall diverse dates between April, 2021 and March 2021.
Mr. Bangura said, on that fateful day, one Joseph introduced him to the accused, who further introduced Mohamed Turay and Edward Macauley as his business partners. Later, the accused told him that they had gold for sale, and based on the information, the accused led them to their office at Wilberforce in Freetown.
“After the meeting, he told us to pay tax to the National Mineral Agency (NMA) for exporting the gold. Initially, the complainant paid four thousand, five hundred United States dollars to the accused who transferred the money to the exporter (Alfred),” he told the bench.
Following the payment process, the accused asked them to make visas in order to travel to Dubai to see his business partner (Mohosie), a Bangladesh national.
“After a few days, the accused called me through his cell phone to enquire whether the visas were ready. He also called me and informed me that the gold was ready. I wish now to produce and tender the documents to form part of the court’s records,” Mr. Bangura informed the court.
He further testified that the accused later introduced them to the exporter (Alfred), who gave him another document, which was allegedly prepared by NMA. The document was produced and tendered as exhibit.
PW2 detailed the court that himself and the accused eventually went to Ghana and subsequently arrived in Dubai, adding that, in Ghana, he took photographs of himself and the accused, which he developed into pictures.
“While we were in a hotel in Ghana, for us to travel to Dubai, the accused woke up late. So I knocked at his door and asked him about what was exactly going on. On the same day, I called the complainant and explained what was going on in Ghana,” he said this in an open court.
“After we had spent two days in Ghana, we returned to Freetown, but, since then, I have not received the money neither the gold from the accused,” Mr. Bangura said.
Back in Freetown, myself and the accused went to College Road, Goderich in Freetown to see the exporter. On the following day, the accused brought a document from NMA, and the complainant paid sixteen thousand United States dollars to the accused.
PW2 said the accused told them that they have processed fifteen (15) kilograms of gold from NMA and the package was purportedly handed over to the accused.
He said they went to a hotel at Aberdeen in Freetown. On arrival, he said he saw the accused opening a shelf, but he busy was talking to someone on his cell phone. Ibrahim Bangura stated that himself, the complainant, the accused, a keke rider, whose name he could not recall, and his business partner, left for Sea Coach at Aberdeen in Freetown.
Listening to him, he said, on their way, a vehicle came from behind them swept and them off the street.
“I saw men, who wore masks. They came from the vehicle and carted away our properties including the package of gold, which is worth millions of Leones,” he said
“We reported the matter at the Aberdeen Police Station in Freetown, and all of us made statements,” he rounded up his testimony.
The police say Francis Wilson, on the day in question, conspired together with unknown persons to defraud the complainant forty five thousand United States dollars ($45,000). Francis Wilson pretended that he had fifteen (15) kilograms of gold for sale, knowing the same to be false.
The defence counsel, S. Bangura, renewed his application for and on behalf of the accused. But Magistrate Marke Ngegba denied him bail and adjourned the matter to 14th July, 2021.