On Friday, July 14, 2023, Dr. Brima Sesay, a District Medical Officer of Northern Province, appeared before Magistrate Isata Sellu Tucker of Court No. 2 Pademba Road, Freetown.

He stands accused of defrauding a Sierra Leonean US citizen, Mariama Kamara, of thousands of dollars and various items, which he allegedly failed to repay.

Dr. Sesay faces five charges, including obtaining credit by fraud and fraudulent conversion. The charges stem from incidents that occurred between March and September 2022. It is alleged that during this period, Dr. Sesay obtained credit from Mariama Kamara under false pretenses, promising to repay her but never doing so.

According to the prosecution’s case, Dr. Sesay requested five hundred US dollars from Mariama Kamara for provisions, and she obliged by giving the money to his sister, who works with him. Subsequently, he asked for a 200-dollar loan to open a dollar account, which Mariama provided. Later on, she authorized a bank transfer of fifty-seven million Leones to his account, supposedly to help his brother travel and his mother’s expenses.

Furthermore, Dr. Sesay persuaded Mariama to buy expensive Apple products, totaling over fifteen thousand United States dollars, assuring her that he would repay the amount. Mariama also shipped various items, including two smart TVs, fridges, and male-oriented products, spending over thirty thousand US dollars on delivery.

When Mariama arrived in Sierra Leone, she asked Dr. Sesay to open the shipped barrel so she could distribute some items to her sister. However, he allegedly failed to comply, claiming that they were in a relationship and that she had given him the items willingly.

During the court proceedings, Mariama Kamara testified as the first prosecution witness, recounting the events and affirming that she had not received any repayments or the items back from the accused.

Dr. Brima Sesay pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his defense counsel applied for bail, stating that he had a reputable medical career and reliable sureties who would vouch for him. The prosecution’s lawyer opposed the bail application, leaving the decision to the discretion of Magistrate Tucker.

Ultimately, Magistrate Tucker granted Dr. Sesay bail in the sum of fifty thousand Leones with two sureties of like sum, who must be employed and approved by the DAR (Department of Adjudication and Review). The case was adjourned until July 17, 2023.