Bank Official Testifies in Sky Bank Theft Case, Alleges Fraudulent Cheque

Bank Official Testifies in Sky Bank Theft Case, Alleges Fraudulent Cheque

A bank official has testified in court, asserting that a fraudulent cheque was issued by one of the accused, further implicating them in the ongoing Sky Bank theft case.

Dennis Frank Charlie, a 28-year-old basketball player, and Abubakarr Alpha Shaur, a 32-year-old banker, are facing charges of conspiring to defraud Sky Bank Sierra Leone Limited. The two appeared before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at Pademba Road Court No.2 on three counts: conspiracy to defraud, larceny, and causing money to be paid by false pretenses.

The alleged incident took place on June 16th, 2025, at the Sky Bank Waterloo Branch.

Court documents indicate that the accused, in collusion with unidentified individuals, allegedly conspired to defraud the bank. Specifically, Dennis Charlie is accused of stealing Le 142,000 via a fraudulent cheque, while Shaur is alleged to have facilitated the payment of the same amount to another individual under false pretenses. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Prosecutor Assistant Superintendent of Police Dallia Wellington called Hashimatu Isha Sesay, the bank’s relationship manager, as the first witness. Sesay testified that both accused confirmed issuing the cheque during WhatsApp conversations, which were admitted as Exhibits A1-2.

Hashimatu recounted a July 2025 bank meeting where customer issues were discussed, revealing that the first accused's account was in deficit. She stated that the second accused authorized the Le 142,000 payment. Efforts to contact the first accused were unsuccessful, leading the branch manager to visit his residence. The first accused's account details were submitted as Exhibit B1-5.

Hashimatu further disclosed that on August 12th, 2025, the first accused was arrested at PZ and taken to CID Headquarters, where he provided a statement, now Exhibit C1-12. The bank’s relationship manager had attempted to reach the first accused, whose account was found to be negative, and later confirmed his arrest at PZ.

The second accused, Shaur, who remains employed at the bank, was granted bail after an application by his defense counsel, A.S. Dumbuya. The case has been adjourned to September 24th, 2025, for further proceedings.

This case underscores serious concerns regarding internal fraud within banking institutions and raises questions about security and oversight within Sierra Leone’s financial sector.