Mason Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charge in Freetown Court, Remanded in Custody

Sanfa Sesay, a 34-year-old mason, pleaded guilty to obtaining money by false pretenses in Freetown’s Pademba Road Court on Monday, and was remanded to custody pending sentencing.

Sesay is facing a charge of obtaining money by false pretenses, contrary to Section 32(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.

The charge stems from an incident on April 21, 2019, in which Sesay allegedly deceived Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah into paying 25,000 Leones by falsely claiming he had a plot of wetland for sale at Thomson Bay, off Wilkinson Road, Freetown.

Upon reading the charge, Sesay pleaded guilty. State prosecutor Sergeant 3001 Lamin F. presented the voluntary caution statement from the accused, marked as Exhibit A1-8, along with the charge statement, marked as Exhibit B1-2.

Magistrate Gbloh stated that due to the circumstances of the case, it has been adjourned for sentencing, with a ruling scheduled for August 20, 2025.

This case highlights ongoing issues of land fraud in Sierra Leone, emphasizing the need for vigilance in real estate transactions to protect potential buyers from fraudulent schemes