Over NLe 619,000 Theft… Bloom Bank Drags Staff To Court
By Janet A Sesay
Musa Joseph Sesay, the Human Resource Officer (HR) at Bloom Bank Sierra Leone Limited, and Joshua Gbanyah, a student at the College of Digital Excellence (CODE), on Wednesday 19 March 2025 made another appearance before Magistrate Shar Kekura of Pademba Road Court No.1, following accusations of embezzling six hundred and nineteen thousand new Leones (NLe 619,000) from the bank. Sesay and Gbanyah face a total forty-two count charges, including conspiracy, larceny by servant, causing money to be paid by false pretenses, and forgery of documents all contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone. The indictment state that the accused, between January 2, 2023, and 31 March 2024 Sesay, in his capacity as HR Officer at Bloom Bank, is alleged to have misappropriated funds intended for the payment of electricity bills (EDSA) on multiple occasions.Gbanyah stands accused of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme, whereby he facilitated the payment of six hundred and nineteen thousand Leones (619,000) to Tamba Pessima, falsely presenting him as an EDSA agent to Bloom Bank. Furthermore, Gbanyah is alleged to have forged documents from the College of digital excellent (CODE) including a statement of results bearing his name and ID number, prepared and signed by the office of the Registrar at CODE, which the police claim to be falsified. After the charges were read and explained to the accused, no plea was taken. Initially both accused were arraigned before the court on twenty-four (24) count charges, but the Prosecutor, ASP Ibrahim Mansaray, at the last adjourned date, sought for an adjournment for an amendment of the charges which was granted by the Magistrate. Defense Counsel Charles Pujeh objected that the accused were at first arraigned before the court on twenty-four count and now a a forty-two count charges is being levied against them. Magistrate Kekura said the prosecutor asked for an amendment to change the dates on the charge sheet and not addition of charges to be made against the accused persons. At this juncture the Prosecutor, ASP Ibrahim Mansaray, sought for another adjournment for him to seek proper clarification from the bank. The accused are on bail and the matter was adjourned to 28 March 2025.
