Freetown, 11 July 2025 — A mother and son accused of orchestrating a large-scale travel scam have been remanded in custody following their appearance before Magistrate John Manso Fornah at the Pademba Road Court No. 2 in Freetown.
The duo — 27-year-old businessman Musa Seaport Kamara and businesswoman Serro Sesay — are facing serious criminal charges including conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretenses, and unlawful possession of passports belonging to others.
According to court documents, the alleged offenses took place between November 1st and 30th, 2024 in Tombo, Western Rural District. The accused are said to have conspired with unidentified individuals to defraud one Joseph Dawson Kamara of a total of US$32,000 (approximately Le768,000).
Serro Sesay, the second accused, allegedly deceived the complainant by promising to obtain Brazilian visas for several individuals — including David Alhaji Mansaray, Assiatu Dawson Kamara, Mildred Dawson Kamara, and Aminata Sesay — despite knowing the claim to be false. The amount involved in that transaction alone reportedly totaled US$118,000.
Further allegations emerged concerning incidents between January 1st and 31st, 2025, in Ghana, where the accused were found in possession of multiple Sierra Leonean passports. Investigators believe these documents were held unlawfully and used to restrict the victims’ movements — a practice linked to human trafficking networks.
No plea was taken during the hearing.
Lead prosecution witness, Joseph Dawson Kamara, took the stand and identified the accused. He narrated how he met Musa Kamara through a travel arrangement for his two children to the United States. According to his testimony, he later entered a signed agreement with Serro Sesay — a document he submitted as evidence.
Kamara said Sesay reassured him of the program’s legitimacy, with her son, Gibrilla Sesay, also present during the signing. He added that he was instructed to submit two passports to an individual named Zainab Bangura, while Musa Kamara, who was in Brazil at the time, later claimed to have received them and promised to deliver the visas.
The witness further explained that David Mansaray, husband to Aminata Sesay, traveled overland to Ghana, during which an additional $4,000 was requested and paid for the children’s visas. Kamara said he also handed over $8,000 to Gibrilla Sesay to speed up the process.
Tragically, the alleged visa documents turned out to be fraudulent. Kamara’s children were reportedly detained in Ghana before being released due to Aminata Sesay’s pregnancy. They were then ordered to leave Ghana within 24 hours.
Kamara testified that he spent an additional $500 to arrange their return to Sierra Leone. After later identifying Musa Kamara’s Facebook profile, which matched the person he had dealt with, the accused was tracked down by INTERPOL, arrested, and returned to Sierra Leone for prosecution.
Despite paying a total of US$32,000, Kamara claimed he has not received any refund. His formal statement was recorded at the CID headquarters on Pademba Road.
During cross-examination, defense counsel Zachariah Azibo Kanu questioned the witness.
Given the serious nature of the allegations, Magistrate Fornah denied bail and adjourned the matter to July 16, 2025, for further hearing.
