Sierra Leonean-American Citizen, Josephus Sallu Mannoh, based in America on Tuesday, March 5 2024, testified online (zoom) from America before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Court No.1 Pademba Road, how he was duped over three hundred million Leones for land.
In his testimony, he recognized the accused Foday Kamara through his brother’s wife Rosaline, and recalled on 1st January 2021 and 31st December 2022.
On those dates, he said, the wife of his brother Rosaline called and gave him information that there is a land at Peninsula for sale if he is interested, and he responded in the affirmative.
The witness said he was connected with the accused Foday Kamara and inquired whether he (the accused) is the true owner of the land, and he said yes.
The accused agreed to sell 1 acre and 2 town dots at nineteen (19) million Leones per lot totaling three hundred million and forty-five thousand, nine hundred and twenty Leones.
The witness said he did the full payment through Western Union to the accused. The payment documents were produced and tendered in Court to form part of the Court’s record.
The witness furthered that he called his uncle Peter Pessima to take a surveyor to survey the land, but later his uncle gave him information that the land is a State Land belonging to the Sierra Leone Government.
The witness continued that upon such information he then reached out to the accused Foday Kamara and asked him whether the land belongs to him, and the accused again answered in the affirmative.
Then he came to Freetown from America in 2023 to secure the land which he took the surveyor, his uncle Peter Pessima and one Edmond went to the -land.
As soon as they approached the land the government surveyor told him that the land is a State Land, he then went to the Ministry of Lands and the same information was given to him with regard to the land in question.
He said he did not waste anytime but went straight to the Lumley Police Station and reported the matter. Statement was obtained from him, and he handed over the transaction documents to the Police. Since then, he had not received neither his money nor the land.
At the completion of his testimony, the witness was cross examined by the witness as he was unrepresented. The accused is on bail and matter adjourned to 19th March 2024. Inspector Sellu Tap is prosecuting the mmatter.
It is really sad and heartbreaking when I hear such land matters like the above land case involving native Sierra Leonean American citizen. Living in America and still don’t know how to navigate land business in Sierra Leone is devastating. When will some of us will learn from other people’s mistakes. Buying a land from your father you need a Lawyer to advise you let alone a person you don’t know. If you can spend Le 300.000 on buying a property i need a lawyer. This guys resides in America want to tell me he does not knows very well that you must lays with your embassy in Freetown for advice when dealing in land issues. We live in America but we don’t learn even when we have been here for so long. In the nineties I wanted to buy a land in Allen town from one old man who wanted to sell a portion of the land to rebuild a mosque that was burned down. I asked him to surrender the land documents and took it to Rocky building housing land and survey office. Fortunately I met my former school mate Mr Singateh . He checked to confirm that the land belonged to the old man and that portions of land he wanted to sell to me is genuine. Immediately I went to my lawyer at that time was Lawyer Edwards at fourah bay road . He prepared all necessary paperwork in my name before I paid the old man for one town lot . Then I went to New England office and get a government surveyor to fix the baking. This is the legal process of buying a Land when I was resident in Freetown let alone now I’m a US citizen . Well you know what I mean being an American citizen.
Oga bro this more that full story Too much for comment… it better start writing book… simple comment…