A swindler must pay back $180,000 plus a fine after tricking someone for years. Alagie Dikko pretended he was religious leaders through phone calls asking for cash. He claimed the money would help orphans, build gardens, plus drill water wells across communities.
From 2018 until 2025, Dikko fooled Ousainou Mahanera with fake voices mimicking Imam Chebou Cham, Imam Fatty, even President Barrow. The con started when both men attended Arabic school together. Dikko first asked for school fees help before escalating his scheme, making up stories about needy students, land purchases, sick imams, plus students needing relocation to Ghana.
His scheme fell apart when Mahanera's business partner grew suspicious about the huge payments totaling $353,000. They discovered nobody was ill or traveling between countries as claimed. Police found Dikko had multiple passports under different names to collect the funds. Magistrate Krubally ordered compensation payment or two years jail time plus a separate D100,000 fine or one year behind bars if unpaid.
From 2018 until 2025, Dikko fooled Ousainou Mahanera with fake voices mimicking Imam Chebou Cham, Imam Fatty, even President Barrow. The con started when both men attended Arabic school together. Dikko first asked for school fees help before escalating his scheme, making up stories about needy students, land purchases, sick imams, plus students needing relocation to Ghana.
His scheme fell apart when Mahanera's business partner grew suspicious about the huge payments totaling $353,000. They discovered nobody was ill or traveling between countries as claimed. Police found Dikko had multiple passports under different names to collect the funds. Magistrate Krubally ordered compensation payment or two years jail time plus a separate D100,000 fine or one year behind bars if unpaid.
