By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown, Sierra Leone – A man identified as Diouf Saliou has been charged before Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah of Pademba Road Court No.1 over allegations that he fraudulently obtained credit worth NLe236,442 (US$9,851.75) from Country Lodge Hotel.
Saliou faces two counts under Section 13(1) of the Debtors Act of 1869: obtaining credit under false pretences and obtaining credit by fraud other than false pretences.
According to the charge sheet, between 16 July and 1 September 2026, at HS 51 Hill Station in Freetown, Saliou allegedly incurred debt and obtained credit amounting to NLe236,442 from the hotel through fraudulent means.
When the matter was mentioned, the defendant was absent. Counsel S. Bai, representing Country Lodge Hotel, applied for a bench warrant pursuant to Section 25 of the Criminal Procedure Act of 2025. Magistrate Jah granted the application and adjourned proceedings to 16 September 2026.
The case underscores growing concerns about financial fraud in the hospitality sector, with hotels increasingly seeking legal redress against alleged defaulters.