By Foday Moriba Conteh
Former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma is among the Persons of Interest that the Biobele Commission of Inquiry indicted in its Report and recommended actions that must be instituted against them some of which the SLPP Led Government, headed by President Julius Maada Bio accepted as indicated in the Government White Paper.
Ex-President Koroma was indicted on the basis of financial impropriety and unexplained wealth while he was in office as Head of State. Part of the White Paper recommendations is for him to repay stated amounts of State funds and forfeiture of some of his properties which will subsequently be sold publicly and the proceeds deposited in the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
It was further recommended that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) must investigate the former President on certain questionable issues that the Commission of Inquiry did not cover. Just few days ago a travel ban was slammed against him and other Persons of Interest prohibiting them from travelling out of the country.
In a recent public statement issued by the Anti-Corruption Commission it was clearly indicated that the former President has been invited by them to make certain statements and clarifications as against allegations levelled against him on the 5th October 2020.
The issuance of this public statement generated a lot of debate country-wide with varied speculations, some saying Ernest Bai Koroma will honour while others say he will ignore the invitation. Some have given political interpretations to the recent developments which a particular school of thought has described as bordering on sycophancy and primitive loyalty. Others have predicated their arguments on either availing respect to the ex-leader or the furtherance of the interest of the State.
Quite interesting, Ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma has now responded to the ACC invitation amidst expression of disdain for what he termed as harassment by the current SLPP political administration. In what is referred to as “Preliminary Statement On The Release Of The Reports of The Commissions of Inquiry :The White Paper And Other Hostile Government Actions” dated 30th September, 2020 Ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma said he has learnt with utter disappointment about some of the defamatory contents of the Reports of the Commissions of Inquiry and the White Paper thereto pertaining to some of the activities he undertook while exercising his official functions as President of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
He furthered how he has also noted with utter dismay the Government’s hostility against him and some officials who served in his administration.
Ernest Bai Koroma continued that while it is apparent that the allegations against him are without merit and are a politically motivated charade calculated to impugn his hard – earned reputation, he further believes that the Government’s relentless heckling around him has reached undue and unacceptable levels that amount to political harassment.
He stated that for ten years, he served his country diligently, fairly and with honour and integrity.
“My Government was widely recognized for its robust fight against corruption, for consolidating peace, rebuilding the country’s battered infrastructure, for improving the lives of our people in many ways and for the peaceful, smooth democratic transition I superintended.
It is unfortunate that the Government has chosen this route to unduly tarnish my reputation because of politics. Such ridiculous political witch hunt does not only scare good and well-meaning citizens from getting involved in governance; it also has the propensity of undermining peaceful democratic transitions on the continent as current leaders following these unfortunate events in Sierra Leone might find it difficult to readily hand over power, especially to opposition political parties,” former President Koroma lamented.
He pointed out that on his part, whilst he will always support the fight against corruption and the quest for accountability in public office, he will muster all available legitimate and democratic means to robustly defend his reputation which, he underscored, is being tarnished so mindlessly.
Ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma concluded by stating that in that vein, he will once again instruct his lawyers to look into the Reports, the White Paper and the series of maligning actions being instituted against him and advice on his next course of action.
