By Mamajah Jalloh
Forty five years old Admire Frances Bio Jalloh and forty two years old Dauda Jalloh alias Alhaji Dausy has been sent to face trial at the high court by magistrate Mustapha Brima Jah of Pademba Road Court No.1 in Freetown on Monday, 24th August, 2026, on eleven count charge to wit Conspiracy to defraud contrary to law, Obtaining money by false pretenses, Conspiracy to Rob, contrary to law, money laundering, receiving money on a forged document, Uttering forged document, selling mineral without legal permission and Tax Evasion.
According to the particulars of offence on diverse dates between 10th to 14th August 2025 at #1DAJ drive mile 13 freetown peninsular the western area in freetown both defendants conspired together and with other persons unknown to defraud Fanni Giuseppe and Alfio Siracusa as should thereafter be induced to part with two hundred and ten thousand united states dollars ($210,000) to the said Admire Frances Bio Jalloh and Dauda Jalloh alias Alhaji Dausy by falsely representation that both defendants were carrying a genuine business of selling gold dealers.
Count two revealed that on the above date and place both defendants with intent to defraud obtained the sum of one hundred thousand united states dollars ($100,000) from Fanni Giuseppe and Alfio Siracusa by falsely pretending that they have a genuine gold business called GAN minerals Sierra Leone limited and licensed to sell three kilograms of gold knowing same to be false.
Count three stated that on the above date and place both defendants with intent to defraud obtained the sum of one hundred and ten thousand united states dollars ($110,000) from Fanni Giuseppe and Alfio Siracusa by falsely pretending that they have a genuine gold business called GAN minerals Sierra Leone limited and licensed to sell three kilograms of gold knowing same to be false.
Count four further stated that on the above date and place both defendants with intent to defraud obtained the sum of fifteen thousand united states dollars ($15,000) from Fanni Giuseppe and Alfio Siracusa by falsely pretending that they are going to pay exportation taxes for three kilograms of gold knowing same to be false.
Count five furthered that on the 13th August 2025 at Milton Margai College Drive Goderich the western area in freetown both defendants conspired together and with other persons unknown to Rob Fanni Giuseppe and Alfio Siracusa of three kilograms of gold valued two hundred and ten thousand united states dollars ($210,000).
Count six alleged that on the above date and place both defendants directly possessed one hundred thousand united states dollars ($100,000) knowing same to have derived from unlawful activities the said sum of money was received by Admire Frances Bio Jalloh and Dauda Jalloh alias Alhaji Dausy from Fanni Giuseppe and Alfio Siracusa by fraud.
Count seven indicated on the above date and place both defendants directly possessed one hundred and ten thousand united states dollars ($110,000) knowing same to have derived from unlawful activities the said sum of money was received by Admire Frances Bio Jalloh and Dauda Jalloh alias Alhaji Dausy from Fanni Giuseppe and Alfio Siracusa by fraud.
Count eight alleged that on the above date and place both defendants received the sum of two hundred and ten thousand united states dollars ($210,000) from Fanni Giuseppe and Alfio Siracusa by virtue of a Forged receipt to wit GAN minerals Sierra Leone Limited knowing same to be forged.
Count nine stated that on the above date and place both defendants uttered a forged document purporting to be a payment invoice of GAN minerals Sierra Leone Limited knowing it to be forged and with intent to defraud.
Count ten further stated that on the above date and place both defendants sold three kilograms of gold bars to Fanni Giuseppe and Alfio Siracusa without legal permission.
Count eleven furthered that on the above date and place both defendants being persons chargeable to income tax, did wilfully evade the payment of tax for the selling of three kilograms of gold under the business name GAN minerals Sierra Leone Limited.
Magistrate Jah rejected a no-case submission made by the defence on behalf of Admire Bio Jalloh and her husband and ruled that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to warrant their trial before the High Court.
In his ruling, magistrate stated that he had carefully considered the evidence led by the prosecution, the submissions made by defence counsel, the prosecution’s response, and the authorities relied upon by both sides and referred to Section 1132B of the Criminal Procedure Act, Act No. 8 of 2024, which states that where a Magistrate is satisfied that the statements and other evidence produced and tendered by the prosecution are sufficient to put a defendant on trial for the offence charged or any other indictable offence, the Magistrate shall commit the defendant to stand trial before the High Court.
He also referred to Section 113H of the Criminal Procedure Act, Act No. 8 of 2024, which empowers the Magistrate to discharge a defendant where the evidence is insufficient to justify the prosecution and also considered the practice direction on no-case submissions, which states that such a submission may properly be made where there is no evidence to prove an essential element of the alleged offence, or where the prosecution’s evidence has been so discredited during cross-examination, or is so manifestly unreliable, that no reasonable tribunal could safely convict.
He noted that the matter before the court was not a trial, but a preliminary investigation, during which the Magistrate was required to determine whether the evidence was sufficient to put the defendant on trial and having considered the totality of the evidence, Magistrate Jah held that there was a case for Admire Bio Jalloh to answer.
Therefore, he rejected the no-case submission and committed the defendants to stand trial before the High Court and revealed that the prosecution had adduced sufficient evidence to put the defendant on trial and that the defendants would be given the opportunity to cross-examine the prosecution witnesses in accordance with the law.
The matter was accordingly committed to the High Court for trial.
