Key Witness Testimony Strengthens Forgery Case Against Surveyors

A key witness in the case against two surveyors, Ahmed Mansaray and Maligie Kanu, has provided testimony seriously implicating them in the alleged forgery of NRA survey bill receipts. 

Isatu Isha Dumbuya, a secretary responsible for processing private survey plans, testified that the forged receipts presented by the accused did not originate from her. 

She detailed critical discrepancies, including mismatched OTP numbers and inconsistent names on the documents, directly contradicting the authenticity of the receipts. 

She also presented the court with samples of both genuine and forged receipts, unequivocally confirming that the false documents were not produced by her.

Further strengthening the prosecution's case, Detective Brima Koroma from the Anti-Fraud Unit at the CID headquarters confirmed that the accused voluntarily gave statements. 

These statements, along with the forged NRA receipts and other evidence, were examined, and Detective Koroma testified that the accused admitted their statements were true and correct after being cautioned and questioned separately.

The gravity of the charges, which include conspiracy to commit a crime, forgery, and uttering forged documents, has led Magistrate Augustine Brima Samura to deny bail. 

Both Mansaray and Kanu remain in custody at the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown, with the case adjourned to July 23rd, 2025, for further proceedings. 

The court's decision continues to demonstrate the seriousness of upholding integrity in land and revenue transactions and combating fraud that threatens national revenue collections, particularly among government officials. 

However, it also continues to encourage probing questions of how corrupt practices are gauged, deemed worth serious prosecution and condemnation, as opposed to out of court settlements.