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In a case raising concerns over accountability in school procurement, 27-year-old student and businesswoman N. Yuma Petan Jarju appeared on Friday before Magistrate Adama Kandeh at Pademba Road Court No. 4, facing a single count of Fraudulent Conversion under Section 20 (1)(iv)(b) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
The allegation involves funds belonging to Wamagri School Mambo, entrusted to Jarju by the school principal, John Moham Sesay, for the purchase of customized learning materials and uniforms from China. Police reported that NLe 2,962,169 was not used for its intended purpose, prompting the criminal complaint.
Court proceedings focused on Jarju’s responsibility in managing the substantial school funds and the alleged breach of trust. Prosecutors, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Joan M. S. Bull, argued that the matter caused significant embarrassment to the complainant and that Jarju posed a flight risk if released.
Defense counsel J. M. Jengo Esq. urged the court to grant bail, noting that some of the ordered items had already been supplied and emphasizing Jarju’s role as a primary caregiver. He stressed the hardship her continued detention would place on her family.
Magistrate Kandeh declined the bail request, citing the gravity of the allegation and the need to ensure Jarju’s presence throughout the trial. She was remanded at the Male Correctional Centre in Freetown.
The case, which has drawn attention from parents and education stakeholders, has been adjourned to 21 November 2025 for continuation.
