By Amin Kef (Ranger)
In the ongoing trial in the High Court pertaining to an alleged corruption relating to the renovation/reconstruction of Sierra Leone’s Chancery Building in New York, USA, Justice Adrian Fisher on Wednesday, February 23, 2023 has overruled the No Case Submission filed by Saidu Nallo, Foday Vahfomba Bawoh, Adikali F. Suma, Samura Kamara, Kandeh F.B Kamara & Jules S. Davis.
The High Court Judge stated that they have a Case to answer & must be put to their elections to determine how to put up their defense.
The “No Case Submission” was filed by the legal representatives of the main opposition, APC party presidential candidate, Dr. Samura Kamara and 5 others against the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Justice Fisher’s overruling came a day after Dr. Samura was warmly welcomed by thousands of supporters in Freetown. The Judge stated that Dr. Samura Kamara does have a case at hand to answer and that his legal representative must put forward their defence to the charges of the alleged corruption relating to the renovation/reconstruction of Sierra Leone’s chancery building in New York, USA.
The main opposition’s presidential hopeful was charged in December 2021, with misappropriation of more than USD 2.5 million in public funds in a case related to the refurbishment of the Chancery Building in USA while he was serving as the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
However, Dr. Samura had long denied those allegations and claimed that the case is politically motivated to tarnish the good image and reputation he has nurtured over the years.
While the case is still on trial, it is believed that if Dr. Kamara is convicted, he will be barred from running for or holding public office in the West African State.
The former Foreign and Finance Minister under ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma, Kamara is viewed as the main rival to the current leader Julius Maada Bio, who will stand for re-election.
The trial was adjourned to March 17.
Bio defeated Kamara in the second round of the 2018 presidential election and launched an anti-corruption campaign in the small West African country, where graft is considered to be endemic.
Several senior officials from the Koroma administration have since been targeted, but the APC has denounced a “witch hunt”.
