By Saio Marrah
An Argentine National, Jose Castelluchio has appeared before a Magistrate Court in Freetown over an alleged fraudulent conversion of 700 grams of gold valued at ($47, 750) Forty Seven Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars.
The defendant, who appeared before Magistrate Mark Ngegba at the Pademba Road court No. 1 on Monday 16th October 2023, was also charged with conspiracy to commit felony.
Castelluchio was again jointly charged together with another fellow Argentine, Zdravko Voglar with alleged store breaking and larceny.
Led in by Lawyer Hindolo Moiwo Gevao, the first prosecution witness, Abubakarr Koroma, told the court that between the 1st and 31st December 2022, both the two Argentine defendants, met them at Mamanki Village in Tonkolili District, to do gold mining together.
He also informed the court that the two defendants demanded that they need proof of gold 100 grams per day in order for them (Argentine defendants) to invest ($ 600,000) Six Hundred United States Dollars in the business.
Koroma said upon agreement of the deal, they sometimes produce more than the required 100 grams per day, but that they had never had less than 100 grams.
The witness told the court that at a point they (miners) checked and realized that they had given the first defendant up to 700 grams of gold.
Koroma also noted that the first defendant of the Preliminary Investigation, Castelluchio, went with it abroad, but that when he returned he did not return with either the gold or money.
Koroma further informed the court saying, “he told us not to hurry. We also mined another one thousand grams. He asked us to give him again, but I said no until we get our money.”
The witness further noted that the first defendant then reported the issue to their (miners’) madam, who also informed that the defendant should give them their money first before anything else.
According to Koroma, he then handed the 1,000 grams to one of his boys, Zabrail who he (Koroma) was living with in the same house in Magburaka.
Koroma said later, Zabrail gave him information. Upon receipt of the information, he collected the 1,000-grams of gold and cash of One Thousand United States Dollars kept them at home and went away to Wusum Hotel.
Upon his return, Koroma said he honked at the gate for quite a while, which was unusual, but the two defendants did not open.
He said they then went away. In the morning hours, when they (Koroma and his colleagues) returned, they realised the defendants had damaged the door of the room where he kept the gold and the money.
Koroma also informed the court that he brought in the police and that they found out that the gold and cash were gone.
Thus, he said police arrested and obtained statements from the defendants, and that the defendants admitted to damaging the door of the house on the grounds that they rented the house.
Koroma also informed the court that he got information about how the defendants went to his site and cleared all six gallons of diesel. According to him, police had placed security at the site until the outcome of the case.
During cross-examination with Lawyer Julian Cole, the witness said the 700 grams of gold was owned by their madam and that he was present when the gold was entrusted to the first defendant. He also told the court that there is a document to prove that said claim. The preliminary investigation resumes on 25th October this year.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (18/10/23)
