Ex-Bloom Bank Employees Charged with Embezzling Over 600,000 Leones

Two former employees of Bloom Bank Africa appeared in a Freetown court on Thursday, facing allegations of embezzling over six hundred thousand Leones intended for electricity bill payments. The accused, Musa Joseph Sesay, Human Resources and Administrative Officer, and Joshua Gbanyah, were brought before Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah at Pademba Road Court No. 1 in Freetown, charged with misappropriating funds designated for EDSA electricity bill top-ups.

The defendants are charged with multiple offenses, including conspiracy, larceny by a servant, causing money to be paid under false pretenses, and document forgery, in violation of the law.

According to the charge sheet, Sesay and Gbanyah, while employed at the bank between January 2, 2023, and March 31, 2024, allegedly misappropriated funds meant for electricity bill payments on several occasions. The total amount involved is approximately six hundred and nineteen thousand Leones (NLe 619,000).

The charge sheet further alleges that Gbanyah forged documents from the College of Digital Excellence, including statements of results purportedly issued by the Registrar’s Office, which law enforcement authorities claim are falsified.

At a previous hearing, Ernest Ohue, the bank’s Chief Internal Auditor, testified before the court. The proceedings were then adjourned for cross-examination by the defense.

During cross-examination, Defense Counsel C.C. G. Commoh, representing Musa Joseph Sesay, questioned Ohue. The Auditor confirmed that a deposit of ten thousand Leones (NLe 10,000) was made by an individual named Paul Nanason during the relevant period. Ohue also stated that Gbanyah was employed as a dispatch rider for the bank and retained that position when the alleged fraud occurred.

The defense further inquired about any records indicating unauthorized withdrawals by the accused without management’s knowledge. The Auditor responded that management was unaware of the unauthorized transactions until EDSA attempted to discontinue the bank’s electricity supply, revealing that the bills had not been paid. Ohue added that Sesay resigned from the bank one month before the fraud was discovered. Receipts presented in court indicated that payments for EDSA top-up had been made before Sesay’s resignation.

The defense also questioned the presence of direct evidence linking Sesay to the tampering of the electricity meter. Ohue acknowledged that EDSA had reported the bank’s meter had been tampered with and that electricity credits had not been purchased for a certain period. Furthermore, Ohue disclosed that the account used by Sesay to deposit funds for the EDSA top-up was numbered 0012011040, and this account was closed following his resignation from the bank.

When questioned about transactions between the accused and the bank, Ohue admitted there was no direct documentation linking the two accused individuals to each other. However, records indicated that transactions related to meter recharges occurred between the accused and the bank.

The case continues as the court evaluates the evidence presented. The accused remain on bail.