BNB Agent Remanded for Theft
By: Bonnke Fofanah
27 years old Abu Jabbie has made his first appearance before Magistrate Shar Kekura of Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 1, in Freetown.
He was standing trial before the court for Larceny Servant contrary to section 17(1) (A) of the Larceny Act 1916.
According to the particulars of offence, the accused person, on Thursday 18th April 2024, in Freetown, in the Freetown Judicial District, being an agent of Best New Bank (BNB) Sierra Leone Limited, stole the sum of five hundred and eighty two thousand five hundred and ninety Leones (Le582,599) from Best New Bank (BNB) Sierra Leone Limited.
Inspector M.M Tarawally led in evidence the compliance manager of Best New Bank (BNB) Sierra Leone. Mr. Prince Brima testified in court that he works in the capacity of Compliance Manager for Best New Bank (BNB) Sierra Leone. He further told the court that, he did recognize the accused person as an agent of BNB. He recalled that, on the 18th of April 2024, a theft occurred in the office. Telling the court some of his duty, he said that as compliance manager, it is part of his duties to receive money for the company.
According to the witness, on that very day, they were checking the money received from the accused person and they noticed a suspected activity, adding that, he noticed that the accused person usually does cash report meaning as agent when they pay codes, the system gives them the leverage to create a cash recode which is usually taken to the banks the company often partner with. He continued by stating that, when they took this code to the bank, the bank would give them money, especially the sum use to create the code. According to the testimony of the witness, the money given by the bank would serve as a re-enforcement to their own company.
The witness said that they noticed that the accused person Abu Jabbie usually played dubious game during this process by canceling the code given to the bank and then transferred it to his own account.
At this point, the witness said that they noticed several cancellation from the account of the accused person.
Immediately, the witness said that the intervention of the Finance department was sought for. So, the finance department checked on the account statement from January to April 2024. At that time, they noticed that the accused person had already withdrawn a sum of Le582, 599.
In a bid to make progress with the prosecution, the witness produced and tendered the finance statement of the accused person to form part of the court records. It was labeled as exhibit A1-52.
After finding such money in the account of the accused person, the witness said that the matter was escalated for which the accused person was summoned.
Later on, he told the court that he joined the team to go to the shop of the accused person. Before they arrived at the shop of the accused person, he made to understand that he had already given the sum of Le90, 000 which he has withdrawn from the company in cash. He further explained that the accused person electronically, he gave Le10, 000 and he also gave $3,000.
The following day, he added that, the accused person came to the office for which he was reported to the Lumley police station. At the police station, we were told to go to CID. At CID, the witness said that statement was obtained from them.
The Defense Counsel Lawyer C.M Jengo applied for bail for and on behalf of the accused person.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Kekura refused bail and remanded the accused person to the male correctional facility.
The matter was adjourned to the 13th of May, 2024.
