Lahai David Jimmy, a 54-year-old resident of Freetown, appeared before Magistrate Kekura at the Pademba Road Court No.1 on charges of conspiracy to defraud and causing money to be paid contrary to law under the Larceny Act of 1916.

The allegations involve a fraudulent scheme where Jimmy and unidentified accomplices purportedly deceived a local woman, Frances Foday, into paying $5,000 for a non-existent Toyota RAV4 vehicle.

According to court documents, the incident occurred between July 1 and August 3, 2024. Foday, a staff member at the National Insurance Company (NIC), testified that she was initially contacted via WhatsApp by a man named Ishmael, who showed her an image of the purported Toyota RAV4. After expressing interest, Foday arranged to inspect the vehicle on August 1.

Accompanied by a mechanic and Mohamed—another key figure in the case—Foday visited Jimmy’s residence to examine the car. Despite the mechanic noting several potential issues, Jimmy assured them the vehicle was in good condition, attributing the faults to shipping damage.

Following negotiations, an agreement was reached for the sale of the vehicle at $5,000. Foday subsequently met Mohamed to arrange payment, who then instructed her to hand over the money before proceeding to Jimmy’s home. However, Mohamed disappeared with the funds after taking a different route on a motorbike, while Foday continued to Jimmy’s residence.

Upon arrival, Foday discovered Mohamed in the vehicle she had paid for, leading her to report the incident to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Jimmy’s arrest was based on a statement from his nephew, who identified him as part of the fraudulent scheme.

Representing himself in court, Jimmy cross-examined Foday, but the evidence against him remains substantial.

Magistrate Kekura has granted bail to the accused in the amount of 5,000 Leones. The case has been adjourned to September 11, 2024, with Inspector Sellu TAP leading the prosecution.