By: Alimatu Kargbo
In a shocking turn of events, Sylvanus Mustapha Bockarie Fatoroma was arrested on January 22, 2025, by Detective Inspector A.S. Mansaray and is now facing 28 serious charges in connection to a large-scale financial fraud at Commerce and Mortgage Bank, (CMB).
Fatoroma’s charges include:12 counts of forgery, 13 counts of uttering forged documents1 count of conspiracy to defraud and 1 count of larceny by a servant
According to court records, between August 2nd 2022, and September 5, 2024, at Commerce and Mortgage Bank’s Head Office, 30 Liverpool Street, Freetown, Fatoroma, along with unidentified accomplices, allegedly orchestrated a fraudulent scheme to siphon Seventy-eight Thousand Five Hundred Leones (78,500 NLe), equivalent to Seventy-eight Million Five Hundred Thousand Old Leones, from a bank account (0021111651016) under false pretenses.
The accused allegedly manipulated records to make it appear that the rightful account holder, Idrissa Bangura, had withdrawn the sum, when in fact, the transaction was entirely fraudulent.
With the magnitude of the case.
Prosecutor Tayla Mansaray has vowed to bring the full force of the law against the accused. Meanwhile, investigations continue as authorities suspect more individuals may be involved in the elaborate scheme.
The case has drawn significant public attention, with legal experts predicting a high-stakes trial that could set a precedent for financial crimes in Sierra Leone.
The next court hearing is scheduled for March 10, 2025.
