By Foday Moriba Conteh
Sahr Kemokai, former Head of Procurement at the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) and of Juba Hill, Off Pipe Line, back of Kabasa Lodge, Freetown was on 13th May, 2020, indicted by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Nine (9) Counts of corruption offences; three (3) Counts on Abuse of Office, Contrary to Section 42(1), three (3) Counts on Abuse of Position, Contrary to Section 43, and three (3) Counts on Failure to Comply with Applicable Procedures and Guidelines relating to Procurement, Contrary to Section 48(2)(b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.12 of 2008, respectively.
According to the particulars of offence, between July and October, 2015, Sahr Kemokai, in his then capacity as Head of Procurement at the SLMA, abused his office by improperly conferring an advantage on Ishmael Kamara, the Manager of Sheruk Enterprises; Alusine Kamara, co-partner of Hogo Cajeh Investment, and David Beahboye of TTN Global Limited to wit: awarded the said Sheruk Enterprises a contract for the supply of office equipment, the said Hogo Cajeh Investment a contract for the supply of furniture and fittings, and the said TTN Global Limited a contract for the supply of 2 HF Base Radio without advertising in an open bidding process for the supply of goods.
Similarly, Sahr Kemokai, between the same period , knowingly abused his position as Head of Procurement at the SLMA, in the award of a contract for the supply of office equipment to Sheruk Enterprises, a contract for the supply of furniture and fittings to Hogo Cajeh Investment and a contract for the supply of 2 HF Base Radio to TTN Global Limited to wit: he failed to issue out Quotation Forms to prospective bidders in contravention of Section 37(1) and Section 44 of the Public Procurement Act No. 1 of 2006; and Part VII of the Public Procurement Regulations 2006.
Additionally, Sahr Kemokai, as then Head of Procurement at the SLMA failed to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to procurement to wit: failed to issue out Quotation Forms to prospective bidders in contravention of Section 37(1) and Section 44 of the Public Procurement Act No. 1 of 2006; and Part VII of the Public Procurement Regulations 2006.
Meanwhile, the indictee is expected to appear in the High Court Holden at Freetown on Thursday 21st May, 2020.
The Commission reassured the general public of its determination to curb graft at all levels in Sierra Leone, particularly in the area of procurement, which, it said, accounts for over sixty (60) percent of Government expenditure.
