$210,000 Gold Fraud: Minister Arrived at Scene Unassisted

In a startling testimony during the ongoing gold fraud trial of Admire Frances Bio Jalloh and her husband, complainant Fanni Giuseppe revealed that high-profile individuals, including former Northern Resident Minister Abu Abu Abdulai Koroma, arrived at the crime scene without being given directions.

The revelation came during cross-examination before Principal Magistrate Mustapha Brima Jah, as lead defense counsel Melron Nicol Wilson questioned the complainant’s immediate actions following the alleged incident. Giuseppe, testifying through an interpreter, explained that after the robbery, his attempts to contact the Italian Consul were unsuccessful as the official was out of the country.

“I then contacted Abu Abu Abdulai Koroma and the manager of Lagoonda Restaurant,” Giuseppe stated. 

He noted that all three parties arrived at the location promptly, despite never having been informed of the specific coordinates or directions to the scene by him.

The defendants face an eleven-count indictment that paints a picture of a sophisticated criminal enterprise. Charges include conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretenses, money laundering, and tax evasion. Prosecutors allege that between August 10 and 14, 2025, the accused posed as legitimate operators of GAN Minerals Sierra Leone Limited to defraud Giuseppe and Alfio Siracusa of US$210,000.

The prosecution detailed how the complainants were allegedly convinced to pay US$100,000 for three kilograms of gold, followed by another US$110,000 for the transaction and an additional US$15,000 intended for export taxes. 

Central to the case is the allegation that on August 13, 2025, the defendants conspired to rob the victims of the very gold they had supposedly purchased.

Beyond the theft, the state alleges the use of forged invoices and receipts to facilitate the crime, alongside the unlawful sale of minerals and evasion of business taxes. The defendants are also accused of knowingly possessing US$100,000 in criminal proceeds.

The trial is set to resume on August 3, 2026, as the court continues the cross-examination of the complainant. The case remains a high-profile test of the legal system's ability to tackle complex mineral-related fraud in the region.