By: Alimatu Kargbo
Twenty Six years old Noah Aleem Bun Kamara, Assistant Manager, and Forty seven years old Joe Menfallah, a Station Manager, both employed by Amnet Filling Station, were remanded at the male correctional facility in Freetown by Magistrate John Manso Fornah of Pademba Road Court No2 on two count charges, to wit: Conspiracy to defraud contrary to law, and Embezzlement, contrary to section 17 (1)(b) of the larceny Act 1916
According to the particulars of offence, on a date between Thursday 1st May 2025 and Friday 20th February 2026 at Amnet Filling Station, Makeni in the Bombali Shebora Chiefdom in the northern province of the Republic of Sierra Leone, conspired together with other persons unknown to defraud Amnet Filling Station.
Count two further stated that on the above date and place both defendants fraudulently embezzled the sum of four hundred and seventy three thousand eight hundred Leones (473,800) received by both defendants from customers on account of Amnet Filling Station.
When the charges were read and explained to both defendants, no plea was taken because it was Preliminary Investigations proceedings.
The Prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sorie Conteh, led Prosecution Witness number two, DPC 17712 Mohamed Lahun, attached to the economic financial and fraud unit at the Criminal Investigations Department, Pademba Road, Freetown, he recognized the complainant and both defendants in the matter and recalled on the 23rd January 2026 that he was on duty when the complainant, Isatu Bah, reported a case of conspiracy to defraud and Embezzlement against both defendants, and that the matter was assigned to him and DPC 19325 Amara C.A for investigation. He stated that upon receipt of the report, statements were obtained from the complainant and her witnesses, furthering that the statements had since been in the custody of the police. He then produced and tendered them to form part of the court records. The complainant produced some documents such as Vista bank statement, NPSL limited and hand over Amnet payment of salary which have since been in the custody of the police since the 19th February 2026.
He furthered that they wrote a correspondence to the LUC at Makeni division requesting for police assistant in the arrest of both defendants, who have since been in the police custody, same was produced and tendered in Court to form part of the Court records
The witness disclosed that on the 20th February 2026, himself together with DPC 19325 Amara C.A and the complainant left Freetown for Makeni to arrest both defendants. They were both arrested and brought to Freetown on the same date and obtained voluntary caution statement from both defendants. They were cautioned and questioned in krio separately and responded in krio separately, which was recorded in English separately and read and explained to both defendants separately, with both admitting the statements to be true and correct by affixing their right hand tumb print separately, and witnessed by the said investigator, while he signed as the recorder. Both statements were produced and tendered in court to formed part of the Court records
On the 17th April 2026 both defendants were charged with the offence of conspiracy to defraud and Embezzlement by using the same procedure as in their voluntary caution statements and witnessed by the said investigator, while he signed as the recorder. Both charge statements were produced and tendered in court to form part of the court records
Meanwhile Magistrate Fornah refused bail and sent both defendants to the male correctional facility in Freetown and the matter was adjourned to the 26th June 2026.
