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Victoria Johnson, an accountant at the University of Sierra Leone, testified before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 2 in Freetown, revealing details of an alleged fraud involving her husband and the accused, Andrew Danny Stephanus Lahai.
Johnson recounted meeting Lahai through a mutual acquaintance, Martin, at Elizabeth Street. She described two key meetings—on August 21, 2022, and March 31, 2024—where Martin discussed a travel program and arranged for her to meet Lahai. She stated that her husband was the first to meet the accused to verify the program’s legitimacy, after which her husband reported that it appeared genuine and planned to make an initial payment.
Testifying further, Johnson said that on the following day, she, her husband, and Martin handed over Forty-Five Thousand Leones to Lahai. The accused assured them receipts would be issued for all deposits and provided an initial receipt, which Johnson said she could produce in court. She also confirmed that they provided six passport photographs, as the program was intended for six participants. Subsequently, she began receiving emails from individuals claiming to be Trembley, Cassandra, Mark, Diana, and others, promising updates. However, the promised timeline never materialized, and a scheduled biometric appointment was canceled.
The police prosecutor requested a short adjournment to submit these emails as evidence.
Police records reveal that on September 8, 2022, at No. 3 Elizabeth Street, Freetown, Lahai allegedly obtained Four Hundred and Fifty-Six Thousand Leones from Oliver Macfoy under false pretenses, claiming he could facilitate travel arrangements for Macfoy’s wife and children to Canada.
Lahai, 38, faced five charges, including Obtaining Money by False Pretences under Section 32(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916. When the charges were read, he did not enter a plea.
Magistrate Fornah remanded him to the Male Correctional Centre in Freetown, with the case adjourned to September 26, 2025.
