The Parliament of Sierra Leone has issued a stern warning to the Chief Executive Officer of Accord Logistics, Johny Kouza, after summoning him to appear before the House over allegations of disrespect and contempt toward the Parliamentary Committee on Trade and Industry.
Johny Kouza was called to the Bar of Parliament where the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, strongly reprimanded him for what was described as an affront to the Committee on Trade and Industry and Parliament as an institution. The Speaker told the CEO in clear terms that such conduct was unacceptable and would not be tolerated under any circumstance.
Addressing the matter, Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas warned that failure to comply with the summons of any Standing Committee of Parliament is considered contempt of Parliament, stressing that the House has the legal authority to apply the full force of the law against any individual or institution found to be undermining its authority.
The Speaker further reminded Johny Kouza that Parliament has the power to detain and imprison anyone who refuses to obey parliamentary directives or treats parliamentary proceedings with disrespect. He described Parliament as a constitutional institution that must be respected noting that its committees act on behalf of the people of Sierra Leone.
The warning followed a formal complaint from the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Trade and Industry, Hon. Veronica Kadie Sesay, who reportedly informed the House that Johny Kouza had demonstrated disrespect toward the Committee during its work.
In his strong statement, the Speaker told the CEO that Parliament would consider the incident as his final opportunity to correct himself, warning that any repetition would attract serious consequences, including imprisonment.
“You are lucky but this is the first and last time we will accept such behavior from you,” Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas warned. “The next time you appear before this Parliament for contempt, we will imprison you. We want to know what you rely on to make you behave disrespectfully to Parliament.”
The Speaker’s remarks sent a strong message that Parliament remains committed to protecting its dignity and authority, and ensuring full compliance with its procedures by all individuals, institutions and corporate bodies operating in Sierra Leone.
Reacting to the development, the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, commended the Speaker for what he described as a bold and necessary decision in publicly naming and reprimanding the CEO of Accord Logistics. Hon. Abdul Kargbo also urged Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas to apply the same level of firmness to officials of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) who fail to honour parliamentary summons or disrespect parliamentary committees.
Observers say the incident highlights the growing focus on accountability and respect for democratic institutions, while underscoring Parliament’s role in ensuring that both the public and private sectors cooperate with legislative oversight in the interest of good governance and national development.
