By Mamajah Jalloh
Freetown, Sierra Leone
Ebude Chukwu Augustine Essay, a 37-year-old Nigerian national, appeared before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No. 2 on Monday, 5th May 2025, to face charges related to an alleged gold fraud scam. The accused is charged with conspiracy to defraud and causing money to be paid by fraudulent means, under Section 32 (1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to the police charge sheet, the alleged fraud took place between 1st and 19th March 2025 at Imatt Stanford Lodge in Hill Station, Western Freetown. During this period, Essay is accused of conspiring with Simeon Sankoh and others, whose identities remain unknown, to defraud Destiny Mentor Nwaokoro. The accused allegedly caused Nwaokoro to pay $48,000 (equivalent to Le1,152,000) to Sankoh and an individual named Alpha, who falsely claimed to have two kilograms of gold bars for sale.
When the charges were read to the accused, he did not enter a plea. The prosecution, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Sorie Conteh, called their second witness, Victoria Peters, an officer attached to the Financial Support Unit (FSU) at the Mena Police Station in Makeni. Peters testified that she knew the complainant, Destiny Mentor Nwaokoro, as her business partner, and the accused as Nwaokoro’s manager.
Peters explained that between 1st and 19th March 2025, Nwaokoro introduced Essay as his manager, who was handling all transactions for the complainant’s business. According to Peters, it was the accused’s wife who had initially introduced the complainant to an investment opportunity in Sierra Leone’s gold sector. However, it later emerged that the gold was fake, leading to tensions between the parties.
Peters recalled that during one meeting, Essay suggested they invest in a toilet business involving a Sierra Leonean partner. Nwaokoro, citing previous experiences of being scammed, rejected the idea. In a heated exchange, the accused allegedly threatened to keep Nwaokoro “stuck” in Africa, and when confronted by Peters, he attempted to slap her. Later, Peters discovered that Essay had withdrawn all funds from Nwaokoro’s credit card and searched the complainant’s luggage, where she found Essay’s passport.
Peters took the passport and transferred Nwaokoro to another hotel for safety. However, the accused allegedly called Peters demanding the return of his passport, threatening to accuse her of theft. Peters reported the incident to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), leading to the ongoing investigation.
The prosecution applied to allow the next witness to testify virtually, which was objected to by the defense counsel, arguing that this was a criminal case and not a civil matter. Magistrate Bangura granted the application for the witness to testify virtually.
The case has been adjourned to 7th May 2025, with the accused continuing to remain on bail.
