Yayah Turay was granted Le100 million bail after he was arraigned before Magistrate Hannah Bonnie at the Freetown Magistrate Court No. 1 on Pademba Road for allegedly embezzling over Le76 million from one Mohamed Fofanah. Turay was indicted after police alleged that between 17th August 2019 and January 2020, he collected millions of Leones from Mohamed Fofanah on the pretext of fixing Fofanah’s roof. Turay faced six counts of related charges of obtaining money by false pretense contrary to Section 32(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to witness and victim, Mohamed Fofanah he recalled between the above dates he was searching for a contractor to roof his house when someone recommended Turay. He said on 17th August 2019, he made the first payment of $4,000 equivalent to over Le30 million for the purchase of 70 pieces of zinc to roof his house, adding that he paid another Le11 million through another contractor for some pieces of zinc and gave Le21 million and other monies to Turay for the same job.
“I gave Turay a total sum of over Le76 million for the entire work, but Turay could not get the job done, and could not return my money,” he said. In his cross-examination, lawyer M.P. George revealed that the name on the receipt is not that of the victim and witness, adding that there is nothing connecting him to the said receipts which he presented in court.
She noted a contradiction in the victim’s testimony when he said the accused works for Gaungdong Company, whereas the receipt that he presented is from Adex Company. Lawyer George requested for bail for her client canvassing it on Section 79(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1965. But police prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent Ibrahim Sheik Mansaray objected to bail.
He said the accused’s address is vague and poses a flight risk, adding that the accused was also on the run. Meanwhile, Magistrate Hannah Bonnie said even if the accused’s address was vague the onus is on his sureties to ensure that he appears in court whenever needed, and granted Le100 million bail to Turay plus two sureties, one of which must be a manager.
She adjourned the matter to 31st August 2020.
By Sulaiman Karim Sesay