By Saidu Jalloh, Daily Scope Reporter
An accountant from DirectAid Sierra Leone Ltd, Abubakarr Adam Sillah, has been remanded in custody following his appearance in court on February 11, 2026, where he faces 63 charges of larceny by servant. The allegations involve the misappropriation of over one billion leones from the company’s bank account.
Sillah was presented before Magistrate Mustapha Braima Jah at Pademba Road Court No. 1. He faces the charges after reportedly absconding while out on bail related to these same allegations.
The charges stem from Section 17(1)(a) of the Larceny Act 1916, with the indictments detailing that between January and October 2022, Sillah allegedly misused funds from the DirectAid Sierra Leone Limited account at Vista Bank, intended for aid services. When the charges were presented, Sillah did not enter a plea.
During the proceedings, witnesses testified that Sillah issued fraudulent receipts to cover the allegedly missing funds, documented as Exhibits C1–7. An investigation revealed that when contacted to verify these receipts, People’s Enterprise Company denied ever issuing them. Notably, one receipt, identified as Exhibit C2, was allegedly reused eight times, in direct violation of financial protocols.
Further testimony suggested that Sillah eventually confessed to forging these receipts. The matter was escalated to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) after management was alerted to the discrepancies by the General Manager. Evidence presented in court revealed that Sillah purportedly used some of the misappropriated funds to construct residential properties, with supporting documentation labeled as Exhibit E and valuation reports submitted as Exhibits F1–29.
Magistrate Jah revoked Sillah’s bail due to delays in the defense’s application and ordered him to be held at the Male Correctional Facility in Freetown. The court proceedings are slated to continue on March 5, 2026.
During the hearing, Prosecutor ASP Tommy Zaizer called Bhkett Yusif Mohammed to testify. The witness indicated that suspicions about Sillah first emerged when he resisted handing over his responsibilities to a newly appointed accountant, causing a significant delay in the financial transition process. This prompted management to form an investigative committee, which uncovered substantial withdrawals made by Sillah through an associate named Abdulai Mohamed Bangura. Cheques related to these withdrawals were presented as Exhibits A1-29, alongside corresponding withdrawal slips classified as Exhibits B1-17.
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