Sierra Leone Police Arrest Man With $22 Million at Sierra Palms Hotel
Binta Koroma Sierra Leone Police (SLP) have arrested a man with $22 million notes believed to be counterfeit at the Sierra Palms Hotel, Beach Road, Lumley, Freetown.
This was communicated by the regional commander for Freetown West Police Division, Commissioner Victor Manfred Williams at the weekly police media update on Tuesday 7th March 2023.
Police identified the man as Mohamed Mahmoud Ahmad Alhadi of No.1 Juba Hill, Western Freetown.
According to the police, the suspect was found in possession of 22 notes of 1 million dollars each suspected to be counterfeit notes or unlawfully obtained as 1 million dollar notes is not yet out.
The suspect is said to have used the money to make payments for breakfast at the Sierra Palms hotel where he had booked a room, from where he was trapped and taken over to the Lumley police station.
Police said the suspect used 1 million dollar notes to make payments, which heightened the waiters’ suspicion that the money could be fake, adding that the waiters secretly called them after which they searched the suspect and discovered 21 additional notes on him.
The suspect was arrested by ASP Jeneba Bangura of Beach Police Station accompanied by one Albert Lamin, a CSV member, and a member of the local Policing Partnership Board.
The suspect is said to have refused to inform the police where he got the money from. The matter has been transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).