Loura golden wings is mining and exploration company that has been conducting mining exploration in Sierra Leone’s mineral resources on the northern part of the country, with a large numbers of Sierra Leonean staff, before Russian investor, Roma business counterpart, Boris Farfel attempted to filed documents to the fast track Commercial Court in Freetown, with the intension to claim ownership of the company’s assests worth over millions of united state dollars.
The then Magistrate, Dr. Abubakar Binneh Kamara now High Court judge who conducted preliminary investigation into the alleged forgery matter, committed the matter to High Court for further hearing, and judgment was later delivered in the High Court, which did not go down well with the Russian investor Roma.
Since Roma taught that he was not treated fairly by the court, he later appealed against the judgment earlier delivered by the high court of Sierra Leone.
Furthermore, when the Appeal court judges first heard the matter, they slammed an injunction on both parties to henceforth desist from using the company’s assests, until the court of Appeal determines the matter, but that both parties are now pointing accusing fingers at each other of contempt of the Appeal Court order.
On Friday 14 July 2017, the matter came and three eminent Appeal Court judges, Justice Alusine Sesay, Justice John Bosco Allieu and Justice Allan Halloway presided over it.
In his submission, counsel representing the first contempotnors, Yada Williams argued that there was no evidence before the court to substantiate that his client flouted the Appeal Court order.
He relied on the affidavit of Ibrahim Koroma sworn to on 12 May 2017, and that it was Ibrahim Koroma who saw the second contempotnors, Momoh Ansumana driving the companies vehicle with registration number AGR 988 in the street of Freetown.
According to him, he was in possession of photographs indicating that Momoh Ansumana was seen driving the company’s vehicle along George street in the central part of Freetown, even Boris was seen on several occasions driving the company vehicle, thereby flouting the Appeal Court order.
Lawyer Yada Williams further submitted that he even wrote contempotnor instructing hand over the keys to the vehicle, and Ibrahim Koroma at one particular occasion warned Momoh Ansumana to stop using the said vehicle, since there was a court order, restraining both parties to refrain from using the company assests, until the court deliver judgment, but that Momoh Ansumana refused to comply.
On the other hand, counsel for the second contempotnor, Momoh Fofanah said he relied on the affidavit of Momoh Ansumana sworn to 21 June 2017 and its entirety, stating that during cross examination with Ibrahim Koroma, he failed to established that he saw Momoh Ansumana driving the company’s vehicle with registration number, IGW 001, along Grafton highway and Regent village in the outskirt of Freetown.
He also argued that he did not even torch on the affidavit of Abdul W Kamara sworn to 12 May 2017, and that whiles they were making efforts to protect the company’s assests, the first contempotnor was busy depleting the company’s assests in violation of the court order.
At the concluding stage of proceedings, the centre Judge, Justice Alusine Sesay disclosed that they were not going to waste time with matter, and deliver ruling on the injunction and contempt proceedings, whiles assured the court that they would send notices to both counsels in respect of the matter.
