Police Testifies In Fraudulent Matter

By Musa Paul Feika

Detective Police Constable 1400 Umaru Koroma of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the Congo Water Police Post, Wellington, Freetown has testified before Magistrate Alhaji Sulaiman Koroma at the Ross Road Magistrate’s Court No. 1 in the matter involving one Kaprie Sesay, who fraudulently converted one Almeria vehicle with registration No. AQC 420 to his own.

According to the evidence in court, the said vehicle was entrusted to Kaprie Sesay by the complainant, Mohamed Santigie Bangura on 27^th April, 2020 for commercial purpose and the vehicle is worth Le30 million.

Testifying, the witness told the court that he recognized the accused and that he would recall 27^th April, 2020.  He said on the aforesaid day, he was on duty at the CID, Congo Water Police Post when the complainant apprehended the accused and brought him to the police post regarding fraudulent conversion.

The witness said on the same day, he obtained statements from the complainant and his witnesses, adding that on 3^rd May 2020, himself and Detective Police Constable 489 Dumbuya M. obtained a voluntary caution statement from the accused.

He said at the end of the statement, the accused admitted to be true and correct and it was witnessed by Detective Police Constable 4897 Dumbuya M, adding that the voluntary caution statement of the accused was also tendered in court to form part of the court’s records.

The witness told the court that on Friday 22^nd May 2020, based on the advice of the Junior Police Officer Crime (JPO), he charged the accused with the offence of fraudulently conversion, which is contrary to the Larceny Act of 1816.

According to the indictment, Kaprie Sesay on 27^th April, 2020 at Wellington, east end Freetown stole one Almeria vehicle with registration No. AQC 420 valued at Le30 million that was entrusted to him by Mohamed Santigie Dumbuya for commercial purpose, a property of one Violet R. Kawa.

The accused was refused bail and was remanded at the Pademba Road Male Correctional Centre in Freetown, while the matter comes up on 1^st July.