By Mohamed J Kargbo
Ishmael Kabia made another appearance before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Court No.1 at Pademba Road in Freetown and he was admitted to bail.
The accused person was standing trial on four count charges to wit conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretenses and causing money to be paid by means of false pretenses.
Ishmael Kabia, on a date between the 1st day and the 31st July, 2023, at the Qnet Office, Fannah Junction, Devil Hole in Freetown, with intent to defraud, conspired with Hassan Moses and another person unknown to defraud Unsifu Kamara of the sum of Twenty-one Million old Leone (Le 21,000,000) by falsely pretending that he will facilitate a trip for him to South Africa for job opportunity.
It was also alleged that on the above date and place in Freetown, the accused person with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of One Million old Leones (Le 1,000,000) from Yusifu Kamara by falsely pretending that he will facilitate a trip for him to South Africa for job opportunity, knowing same to be false.
It was alleged that the accused person on the above mentioned date and place in Freetown, with intent to defraud, caused the sum of Twenty-one million (Le 21,000.000) to be paid to Hassan Moses by yusifu Kamara by falsely pretending that the said Hassan Moses will facilitate a trip for yuifu Kamara to South Africa for job opportunity, knowing same to be false.
The accused person took the witness stands and testified and he was cross examined by the police prosecutor, Seillu TAP.
Meanwhile, the defense counsel., Chernor Kamara made a bail application on behalf of his client.
Magistrate Ngegba put the accused on a bail in the sum of 100,000 New Leones and two sureties, and that one of the sureties must be a senior staff of the management of Qnet and the other a civil servant.
He ordered that the sureties must be holders of the new NCRA ID card, and the bail will be verified by the Bench and the matter was committed to the High Court.
