Abdulia Okomi Kamara a fifty-four year old businessman made his appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2 on Wednesday, 26th March, 2025, on three count charges ranging from obtaining money by false pretenses- contrary to section 32 of the Larceny Act of 1916.

According to the charge sheet, on Monday 4th December, 2023, at No.79 Campbell Street, Freetown in the western area of the Republic of Sierra Leone, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of seventy thousand leones (NLe70,000.00) from Alhaji Sanusy Bah on behalf of Abdul Gadrie Kamara with the pretext that he has six town lots of land situate lying and being at Hastings for sale knowing same to be false.

The charge sheet indicated that on Friday, 22nd December, 2023, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of one hundred thousand leones (NLe100,000.00) from Alhaji Sanusy Bah on behalf of Abdulai Gadrie Kamara with the pretext that he has six town lots of land at Hastings for sale knowing same to be false.

It furthered that on Sunday, 14th January, 2024, with intent to defraud, the accused obtained the sum of twenty two thousand leones (NLe22,000.00) from Alhaji Sanusy Bah on behalf of Abdul Gadrie Kamara with the pretext that he has six town lots of land at Hastings for sale knowing same to be false.

When the charges were read and put to the accused, he pleaded not guilty on all count charges.

The state prosecutor Deputy Superintendent of Police Sorie Conte led witness number two Mohamed Kamara who is a Solicitor Clerk at Bah and Co. Solicitors knows the complainant in the matter and the accused when he was going to the chambers to collect money in respect of a land transaction.

He recalled that on 4th December, 2023, he was at his office and saw something happened between the accused and the complainant as he witnessed the payment of Le70,000.00 to the accused and he signed the receipt issued out and also signed the receipt acknowledging his receipt of the Le70,000.00 paid to him. “I hereby identity the said receipt as marked Z.”

Mohamed furthered that on 22nd December, 2023, he also witnessed the payment of Le100,000.00 to the accused for which he signed as a witness. I hereby identity the said receipt in “Exhibit B.”

He made statement to the police. That is all.

The defence counsel A.N.D Mura applied for bail on behalf of the accused that he is a citizen within this jurisdiction and is a family man. He cited section 79 (2) (3) (11) of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1965.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Bangura refused bail based on the seriousness of the offences charged and sent him on remand.

The case has been adjourned to the 3rd April, 2025, for the continuation of his trial.