By Alimatu Jalloh
Sierra Leone: A 63-year-old driver, Alie Timbo, appeared before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at Pademba Road Court No. 2 on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, to answer to a charge of obtaining money by false pretences, contrary to Section 32(1) of the Larceny Act of 1916.
According to court documents, the alleged offence occurred between March 1, 2024, and January 2025 at Hill Station in Freetown. Timbo is accused of defrauding Olu Johnson, an engineer, of thirty-eight thousand leones (Le 38,000) under the pretext of purchasing timber boards for resale.
When the charge was read and explained, the defendant pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutor Sergeant 8811 Wilson led the first prosecution witness, Olu Johnson, who testified that he knew the defendant from his neighborhood. Johnson recalled that Timbo approached him with a business proposal involving timber boards. He initially gave Timbo Le 500 for transportation and later transferred Le 21,000 via Orange Money to purchase 400 boards. Timbo allegedly claimed an additional Le 12,000 was needed to transport the boards from Makeni, of which Le 6,000 was borrowed from a friend and later refunded.
Johnson stated that he instructed Timbo to deposit any proceeds from board sales into his bank account, but the defendant allegedly refused. Instead, Timbo claimed to have sent the money via mobile transfer, which Johnson accepted.
In June 2024, Timbo reportedly requested Le 5,000 to expand the business by adding bush sticks, followed by another Le 3,000 in January 2025, claiming a buyer was ready to purchase all items. However, Johnson testified that he never received the boards or sticks and had not seen Timbo since. He reported the matter to Regent Police Station and provided a formal statement.
The total amount allegedly obtained by the defendant stands at Le 38,000.
Timbo was represented in court by defense counsel A.B. Amara Esq. Magistrate Fornah adjourned the matter to October 17, 2025, while bail was maintained for the accused.