In Freetown, Mohamed Santigie Fofanah, a 36-year-old businessman, has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of obtaining money under false pretenses.
Fofanah was convicted for defrauding his friend, David Samuel Tholley, of a substantial amount, claiming he could facilitate Tholley's travel to Canada with a work visa.
The charges dated back to a period between July 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023, during which Fofanah allegedly collected $178,015 and 716,660 New Leones from Tholley.
The court proceedings took place in Magistrate Sahr Kekura's courtroom at Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 1, where Fofanah faced a single charge of obtaining money by false pretenses.
Despite the defense counsel, A. Koroma, arguing for bail on the basis that Fofanah was a first-time offender with reliable sureties, the prosecution countered with concerns about Fofanah's past behavior, citing a previous bail he had jumped.
The prosecuting counsel, C. Kamara, referenced the Criminal Procedure Act of 1965 to emphasize the need for the court to prioritize the integrity of the judicial process.
Ultimately, Magistrate Kekura determined that Fofanah's actions warranted a strict penalty, sentencing him to four years of imprisonment or a fine of 4,000 Leones.In Freetown, Mohamed Santigie Fofanah, a 36-year-old businessman, was sentenced to four years in prison after entering a guilty plea to charges of obtaining money under false pretences.
Fofanah was convicted of defrauding his friend, David Samuel Tholley, of a substantial amount of money by claiming that he could facilitate Tholley's travel to Canada with a work visa.
The charges stemmed from a period between July 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023, during which Fofanah allegedly collected $178,015 and 716,660 New Leones from Tholley.
The court proceedings occurred in Magistrate Sahr Kekura's courtroom at Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 1, where Fofanah faced a single charge of obtaining money by false pretenses.
Although the defence counsel, A. Koroma, requested bail on the grounds that Fofanah was a first-time offender with reliable sureties, the prosecution expressed concerns about Fofanah's past behavior, citing a previous instance in which he had jumped bail.
The prosecuting counsel, C. Kamara, referenced the Criminal Procedure Act of 1965 to emphasize the necessity for the court to prioritize the integrity of the judicial process.
Ultimately, Magistrate Kekura determined that Fofanah's actions warranted a strict penalty, sentencing him to four years of imprisonment or a fine of 4,000 Leones.
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