Magistrate Santigie Bangura
By Emma Black
Thirty-two-year-old businessman Philip Vanjah was arraigned before Magistrate Santigie Bangura at Pademba Road Court No. 2 on Tuesday, 11th March 2025. Vanjah faces one count of embezzlement under Section 17(1)(b) of the Larceny Act of 1916. The charge states that between January and April 2024, at No. 17 Saika Stevens Street, Freetown, Vanjah fraudulently embezzled Le1,205,275 (one million, two hundred and five thousand, two hundred and seventy-five Leones), funds he received on behalf of Fundex Foreign Exchange Bureau Sierra Leone Limited,
When the charge was read, Vanjah did not enter a plea, assistant Commissioner of Police Joan M.S. Bull led prosecution witness number five, John Suluku, a banker at Bloom Bank Africa Sierra Leone Limited. Suluku identified Vanjah as an employee of Fundex Foreign Exchange Bureau and confirmed that Vanjah held an account at Bloom Bank.
Suluku testified that the account was opened in August 2023 and that Fundex Foreign Exchange Bureau had an overdraft facility with the bank. He presented the original bank statement of Fundex Foreign Exchange Bureau, which included signatures of authorized signatories, marked as Exhibit F1-28. This document was admitted as part of the court record.
After the testimony, the prosecution announced they had closed their case, and the file was withdrawn for ruling, Magistrate Santigie Bangura subsequently adjourned the matter to 29th May 2025.
Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Wednesday, May 28TH, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
