By Amin Kef (Ranger)
According to credible information gathered by this medium, an Indian businesswoman identified as Dr. Aruna Sree Sana, who also holds an American passport, is at the center of a controversial gold transaction in Sierra Leone that continues to attract serious public attention and scrutiny. Dr. Aruna Sree Sana has alleged that she was defrauded of $200,000 in a failed gold deal involving a Sierra Leonean man identified as George Ganda.
Dr. Aruna Sree Sana had reportedly presented herself as an investor seeking to buy gold in Sierra Leone but allegedly became entangled in a complex web of questionable dealings after entering into a transaction with George Ganda, who claimed to possess a consignment of gold for sale. Documents seen by this medium confirm the existence of a contract agreement between Dr. Aruna Sree Sana and George Ganda, in which George Ganda purportedly agreed to sell 16 kilograms of gold valued at $900,000. The contract indicated that Dr. Aruna Sree Sana would make an initial payment of $100,000; with the balance payable after the gold was sold in Dubai.
The agreement also provided for verification of the gold at the Government Gold and Diamond Office (GGDO), the official agency responsible for valuation and certification of gold and diamond exports in Sierra Leone. However, sources revealed that George visited the GGDO alone, without being accompanied by Dr. Aruna Sree Sana and later returned with a sealed parcel allegedly containing the gold. Upon receiving the parcel, Dr. Aruna Sree Sana reportedly paid George Ganda the agreed sum of $100,000, after which the package was kept under her custody pending transportation to Dubai.
According to the plan, both parties were to travel together to Dubai, hand-carrying the alleged gold. However, Dr. Aruna Sree Sana allegedly declined to travel by sea, citing fear and instead opted to go by road; leaving George Ganda to carry the gold alone via Sea Coach. Upon reaching Lungi International Airport, George Ganda reportedly advised that the 16 kilograms of gold were too heavy to be carried inside the aircraft cabin and should instead be placed in the luggage compartment.
George Ganda later claimed that on arrival in Ghana, the consignment was seized by Ghanaian Customs Officials due to the absence of an ECOWAS transit certificate. After several unsuccessful efforts to retrieve the consignment, Dr. Aruna Sree Sana and George returned to Freetown, where George allegedly promised to refund the $100,000 but failed to do so. Dr. Aruna Sree Sana subsequently made a report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), but the case has since produced no tangible outcome.
Despite those claims, serious doubts have emerged surrounding the entire transaction and Dr. Aruna Sree Sana’s role in it. Questions are being asked as to why she did not employ a legal representative in such a high-value international trade deal, why she permitted the gold to be handled without her supervision and why the consignment was never properly verified through official export channels.
Furthermore, sources have alleged that Dr. Aruna Sree Sana may have borrowed $18,000 from a young University student named Hadi Swaid to complete her payment to George. In a twist, Hadi Swaid has accused Dr. Aruna Sree Sana of attempting to extort more money from him through threats and false claims.
Dr. Aruna Sree Sana’s allegations may be part of a wider strategy to pressure others into financial settlements. The contradictions in her account, her avoidance of media inquiries and the unresolved nature of her dealings with George Ganda have left room for doubt and suspicion.
The unfolding saga has therefore raised numerous unanswered questions: Did Dr. Aruna Sree Sana indeed borrow money from Hadi Swaid to finance the transaction? Was George Ganda genuinely in possession of the alleged gold? Why were basic legal and procedural safeguards ignored in a transaction involving nearly one million dollars’ worth of gold?
Until these questions are adequately addressed, the entire episode remains clouded in controversy, suspicion and intrigue; a cautionary tale about the dangers of unregulated gold dealings and the blurred lines between fraud, deception and extortion.
Efforts made by this medium to contact Dr. Aruna Sree Sana for her side of the story proved futile as she did not respond to repeated phone calls or text messages. Meanwhile, George Ganda remains unreachable despite several attempts to verify his version of events.
The Calabash Newspaper is Sierra Leone’s leading English‑language news platform—established in 2017 to deliver trusted coverage of politics, culture, health, and more to audiences both at home and abroad.
