By Edward Vamboi
Acting on intelligence, the Scorpion squad of the Anti-Corruption Commission carried out a sting operation on Tuesday, 20th April 2021, and on Thursday 29th April, 2021 arrested 4 persons who were involved in a scheme orchestrated by one Abdul Karim Turay AKA Abdul Melvin Jalloh, who claimed to be the son of Muniru Jalloh, Lecturer and Registrar at Njala University.
According to preliminary investigation, it was established that the claim was false; as Mr. Brima S. Turay (also a Lecturer at Njala University) not Muniru Jalloh, is the biological father of the suspect.
Abdul Karim Turay (who students know as “Jalloh”, because of his false claims of being the son of the Registrar of the University) was reported to be collecting money from Students of Njala University and other persons on the pretext that he would get them admitted into the University; or assist promote already-admitted students to the next year of their course. He was using one Sulaiman Bangura as laison between him and the students to collect monies and basically orchestrate the entire deal. Both were lodged and have been coordinating the criminal academic fraud racket called “Binding” (for lecturers to be paid to give undeserved grades to students), at Fears Hotel, 28 Lahai Street, Nikibu Section, off Mattru Road, New London, Bo.
The Intel further confirmed that students visited them and paid between Five Hundred Thousand Leones (Le 500,000) to Four Million Leones (Le 4,000,000) — depending on the service sought from them.
The Scorpions had already processed a sum of Four Hundred Thousand Leones (Le 400,000), which was handed over to one of the Students at Njala University to use to make payment to Sulaiman Bangura for the said service offered by Abdul Karim Turay, the self-proclaimed son of Muniru Jalloh.
Striking with precision, the Scorpion squad were able to identify the processed money as part of the over Five million Leones and various documents of Njala University Students that were found in the possession of the racketeers in their room during the sting operation.
Sulaiman Bangura was arrested and is currently detained, helping the ACC with investigation. Four other individuals (including two students and two teachers) were also arrested as part of this criminal syndicate.
The public can recall that the ACC Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq., recently delivered a public lecture at Njala University, Torwama Campus, Bo, where he challenged the students to help him clamp down on the many reported acts of examination malpractices and academic fraud at the University; by presenting cogent information on acts of academic fraud, but also warned them against making frivolous claims.
This sting operation, which follows just a few days after the lecture, is to ensure that words are matched by action by the Commissioner and his team.
