January 18, 2017 By Victoria Naomi Saffa
Magistrate John Manso Fornah of the Freetown Ross Road Magistrates’ court No.2, yesterday committed one Benjamin Koroma to the High court for fraudulently converting to his own use, property worth fifty million Leones (Le50M), entrusted to him by the complainant, Haja Sesay.
The accused was charged with one count of fraudulent conversion, contrary to Section 20(1)(v)(a) of the Larceny Act 1916.
The prosecution had alleged that the accused on Thursday 7th April,2016 at No.34D Black Hall Road in the east end part of the city, fraudulently converted to his own use, a property worth Le50M, entrusted to him by one Haja Sesay for the purpose of buying one poda-poda and a taxi.
In his ruling, Magistrate Fornah stated that after taking a panoramic view of the entire evidence adduced by the prosecution, he was satisfied that the prosecution had been able to adduce sufficient evidence connecting the accused with the offence as charged, hence warrant his committal to the High court for trial.
“I am therefore committing the accused to stand his trial in the High court for the offence with which he stands charged before this court,” he ruled.
Lawyer representing the accused, Mohamed Sesay, applied for the release of the accused and Magistrate Fornah granted his application and released the accused.
Magistrate Fornah also granted the accused bail in the sum of five hundred million Leones, two sureties and that the sureties must produce a valid passport book, house book and also an employment letter.
He ordered that the bail must be approved by the Master and Registrar of the High court of Sierra Leone.