Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Ross Road Court No.1 has remanded two Guinean alleged fraudsters, Mohamed Lamin Keria and Lansana Keria, for allegedly obtaining thousands of United States dollars from Amara Kamara, Marie Keita, and Mustapha Keita pretending they will facilitate their travels to Canada knowing same to be false.

The incident is said to have occurred on diverse dates between 1st February and 28th February 2023 at Maboreh, Calaba Town in Freetown. The accused persons are standing trial in court for the offenses of conspiracy to defraud and four count charges of obtaining money by pretenses contrary to law.

According to the charge sheet, it was alleged that the accused, on diverse dates between 1st February and 28th February 2023 at Calaba Town in Freetown, conspired with unknown persons to defraud and obtained six thousand, nine hundred United States dollars ($6,900) from the complainants pretending that they will facilitate their traveling to Canada knowing same to be false.

The charge sheet furthered that the accused, on the same date and place in Freetown, obtained two thousand, nine hundred United States dollars ($2,900) feigning that they will facilitate their traveling to Canada knowing the same to be false.

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During cross-examination by defense counsel A. K. Kamara one of the complainants who had earlier testified before the court confirmed that he knew the accused through a lady called Madam Koroma allegedly residing in Canada.

Umaru Keita in his evidence in chief told the court that he and Madam Koroma met through her Canadian contact (number withheld) on WhatsApp.

Lawyer Kamara confronted the witness that during his testimony before the court, he told the court that the woman called him from her Canadian number (number withheld), to which he responded in the affirmative.

Lawyer Kamara was desirous to call the number in court, but Magistrate Sahr Kekura declined saying it was a novelty, and asked lawyer Kamara to furnish him with the appropriate authority.

In response, Kamara ignored that bit of evidence and asked the witness again if he had ever seen Madam Koroma, to which he responded in the negative, adding that they met on WhatsApp.

Lawyer Kamara suggested to the witness that he and Madam Koroma only communicated through mobile phones and that it was during the conversation she intimated to him about the travel program to Canada, to which he answered in the affirmative.

Lawyer Kamara asked him that the second accused ever promised to facilitate his traveling to Canada.
In response, he said the woman told him about the accused.

Kamara put it to him that he told the court that the second accused lodged him and throughout his stay with him, he didn’t do any transactions will him.
Responding, the witness said at the accused’s residence, they discussed the traveling program. The witness confirmed to the bench that he paid the $2,000 at the second accused office situated at Maboreh, Calaba Town in Freetown which he handed over to one Ibrahim.
Mr. Keita said he paid the money on 8th April 2023.

Eventually, lawyer Kamara put it to him that all he had narrated to the court was not true. Responding he said all that he told the court was nothing but the truth.

Lawyer Kamara renewed and adopted his application for bail for and on behalf of the accused by relying on section 79(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act No.32 of 1965.

Magistrate Sahr Kekura denied them bail and remanded them at the Male Correctional Centre on Pademba Road in Freetown. The matter was adjourned for further hearing.