Finance manager testifies
March 11, 2016 By Hawa Amara
Finance Manager at Splash Money Limited, Ibrahim Mohamed Bah, yesterday testified against former co-workers who allegedly defrauded the company of over Le145m.
While testifying before Magistrate Dr. Abou Bhakarr M. Binneh-Kamara, he told the court that his duties include keeping records of transaction of the entity, reconciling differences with agents and preventing fraud.
He said while the first accused Rahim Ngevao undertook day-to-day banking on behalf of the company, second accused Augustine Charles acted as agent of the company, who paid beneficiaries of the National Commission for Social Action.
Bah told the court that on diverse dates between 10 December, 2014 and 4 July, 2015 he discovered shortage of money amounting to Le953, 503, 000.
“I then communicated with the second accused who promised to crosscheck and get back to me, but he never did as promised. I did documentation in respect of the shortages,” he testified.
The document was tendered as exhibit A1-7.
Bah stated that between 17 and 19 December, 2014 transfers were made electronically in the tune of Le250,000,000 to the second accused, who only refunded the sum of Le217,162,000.
He said a difference of Le32, 832,000 was unaccounted for.
He continued that on 31 December, 2014 and 19 January, 2015 Le140,000,000 was again sent to the second accused, and that he only refunded Le136,300,000 with a shortage of Le3,700,000 that was unaccounted for .
He said on 4 February, 2015 another Le40,000,000 was sent to the second accused through splash cash, while on 6February, 2015 Le100,000,000 was sent to him.
Bah maintained that on 10 February, 2015 a further Le100,000,000 was sent electronically to the second accused, while some other payments were as well made to him.
“Having discovered the shortages, I informed management about that and later I reported the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in Freetown. Both accused persons were arrested in Kenema town, while I later made statement at CID headquarters in Freetown,” he said.
The accused persons were arraigned at the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No.1 on twelve counts of embezzlement, contrary to section 17 (1) (b) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
The alleged embezzlement took place in Kenema between 20 January and 4 February, 2015 while the accused were workers at Splash mobile money.
The matter continues on 15 March, 2015.