By Emma Black
On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Ebude Chukwu Augustine Essay, a 37-year-old Nigerian national, made another appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at Pademba Road Court No. 2 in Freetown. He faced two counts: conspiracy to defraud, contrary to law, and causing money to be paid by means of fraud, contrary to Section 32(1) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the police charge sheet, between March 1 and March 19, 2025, at Imatt Stanford Lodge, Hill Station, in Freetown’s Western Area, Essay, with intent to defraud, conspired with Simeon Sankoh and other unknown individuals to commit a crime, to wit, causing money to be paid fraudulently.
The second count alleges that, on the same dates and at the same location, Essay fraudulently induced Destiny Mentor Nwaokoro to pay $48,000 (equivalent to 1,152,000 Leones) to Sankoh and an individual named Alpha, who falsely claimed to possess two kilograms of gold bars, knowing the claim to be false.
When the charges were read and explained to the accused, no plea was taken, deputy superintendent of police Sorie Conteh presented the second prosecution witness, Victoria Peters, attached to the FSU Mena Police Station in Makeni. Peters testified that she knew the complainant, Destiny Mentor Nwaokoro, as her business partner and recognized Essay as Nwaokoro’s manager. She recalled that between March 1 and March 19, 2025, Nwaokoro introduced Essay to her as his manager, responsible for overseeing all of Nwaokoro’s transactions. Peters stated that Essay’s Sierra Leonean wife had encouraged them to invest in gold in Sierra Leone.
Peters further testified that, in Essay’s presence, Nwaokoro disclosed entering a gold purchase transaction that turned out to be fraudulent. Essay then proposed starting a toilet business, suggesting the involvement of a Sierra Leonean partner who would hold a five percent share in the company.
When Nwaokoro declined, citing a previous scam, Essay became angry and threatened to ensure Nwaokoro remained stuck in Africa. Peters recounted an incident where Essay attempted to slap her after she offered advice, then walked away with a bag containing Nwaokoro’s business cards.
Peters discovered through Nwaokoro’s phone that Essay had withdrawn all funds from Nwaokoro’s credit card. Upon searching Nwaokoro’s luggage, she found Essay’s passport and took possession of it. She then relocated Nwaokoro to another hotel for safety. Essay later called Peters, demanding his passport and threatening to accuse Nwaokoro of seizing it. Peters reported the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters and provided a statement to the police.
The witness was cross-examined by defense counsel A. Turay. Magistrate Bangura adjourned the matter to May 5, 2025, and continued bail for the accused.
Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Friday, May 2nd , 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
